BY: Zeina Ahmed Farouk  

There are many well-known sports, and people pay attention to them, but there is one important sport that is not given the same attention as the other sports: Fencing. There are many successful people in this sport; even Egypt won numerous championships in it. This is a sport that’s totally unlike anything else out there. If you or someone that you know is looking for a sport that isn’t just for today, but that will be around for a lifetime, fencing is it! Conducted an interview with fencing player, friend of mine "Hadil Amin" to discuss her interest in the sport, highlight fencing and demonstrate its significance in comparison to other sports.

What made you choose this game specifically among all the sports that get more spotlight and attention?

I see that’s it`s a sport that not many people contribute in, and it`s enjoyable yet challenging all at same. As it`s a niche sport, which means that fencers tend to compete with the same group of one to two hundred competitors over the course of their entire fencing career.

Who`s your fencing heroes? What was significant about their achievements or character that you admired?

I must say it’s Mohamed El Sayed, because he joined the Olympics at the age of,

I can`t remember exactly, 18 or 19, and he was among the top 8. That was mind blowing. Additionally, he accomplished a lot of successful things throughout the years, which earned him many medals, specifically gold ones in recent times.

Compared to other sports, how difficult do you think is it to become competent at fencing?

Fencing involves a significant amount of mental agility likely more than any other sport as well as power, balance, dexterity, and motor abilities. All of these factors combine to make it a fairly difficult sport. With proper skill and training, injuries from fencing are quite rare. Moreover, most people start fencing at a young age.

Which style do you prefer and practice the most between the three styles?

The foil, épée, and sabre (also sabre) are the three disciplines of contemporary fencing. Each discipline utilizes a unique type of blade with the same name and has its own set of rules. The majority of competitive fencers generally choose to develop their skills in one weapon. I prefer more to practice épée, As the entire body is a legal target in épée.

Do you think the Egyptian general public is largely uneducated about fencing game?

Yes, I believe that the general public is largely uneducated about fencing game. Most of them doesn’t even know Fencing sport exists. The rest mostly learn what fencing is from what they see in the movies. Not knowing that an early version of fencing is thought to have originated as a stick-fighting pastime in ancient Egypt. It shows a sporting event that the Pharaoh organized using sticks with bronze-plated tips to celebrate his triumph over the Libyans. In addition to face protection with a mask very similar to those used today, a hand guard identical to that of a modern sabre was also employed. The Pharaoh was hailed by the winners with their weapons, a panel of judges observing and keeping score on a piece of papyrus! In addition to, until these days Egypt has been remarkable in fencing, having numerous accomplishments, medals, and championships that nobody is aware of.

Lastly, how would you describe fencing to someone who has never seen it before?

Fencing has three types that you would choose from; foil, épée, and sabre. there are so many benefits of fencing which help in real life as well, fencing requires the body to move in a full range but in a control and coordinated manner helping the body to be in a state of discipline all the time. Other than that, aerobic fitness, good balance and increased peripheral vision are some other pros of fencing that’s different from any sport.