The event was won by Lucien Gaudin of France, the nation's second consecutive and fourth overall victory in the men's foil.

Erwin Casmir earned silver to give Germany its first medal in the event.

The favorite was 1927 world champion Oreste Puliti of Italy, whose Olympic ban resulting from his withdrawal in the 1924 sabre competition had been lifted.

[2] Chile, Finland, Romania, and Yugoslavia each made their debut in the men's foil.

The United States made its sixth appearance, most of any nation, having missed only the inaugural 1896 competition.

Gaudin, who had lost to Casmir in the final, beat him in the barrage and notched his second head-to-head victory against Gaudini to win gold.