Chinese fencers robbed at Rio's beach

RIO DE JANEIRO, April 23 -- Chinese women fencers were robbed on Saturday on the road alongside Rio de Janeiro's Copacabana beach as they are competing at the Rio Fencing Grand Prix and the Team World Championships Finals, which are also dubbed as Olympic test events.

Meanwhile, two shooters from Chinese shooting team also saw their credit cards charged by unauthorized payments. With less than four months towards the Rio Olympics, security issue has again draw attention.

Chinese women fencers and their coaches were robbed on their way from a seaside supermarket to hotel. As they bought several bottles of water, they used the trolley of supermarket to carry them back to hotel.

Three to four Brazilian teenagers then came to them and one tried to rob the necklace of Xu Anqi, the world No.1 woman epee fencer. But Xu grasped her necklace and her teammates and coach also came around, the robbers immediately fled away.

"I came to Rio for several times in recent years because the Grand Prix is held there. I'm familiar with Rio but this time I feel a bit afraid after being robbed," said Xu after clinching silver medal in Saturday's women's epee individual event.

An estimated 500,000 tourists and athletes are expected to descend on Rio during the Olympics, Brazilian security officials are under pressure to tighten security for the most complex sporting event ever.

The country will employ roughly 85,000 security agents during the Olympics this August, more than twice the number at the London Olympic Games.