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Writer's picturejanhavi rao

How did I start my Fencing training in Mumbai

Updated: Apr 2, 2021


My Fencing Journey with Fencers Sports Foundation was started because of my father. He used to drop me everyday to Dahanukar college. He noticed the sport as everyone used to practice in parking lot . he made me notice the sport and I felt something unusual and interesting in the sport . It was new for me and that's why I was eager to know about it.

When I joined Fencing in M.L.Dahanukar college , there were only 3 girls and 6 boys in our team. The day I joined , players left for their All India Inter University . So initially I didn't had any knowledge of the same . But as my practice began I got idea about the sport , lesson practice and each and every element required for the sport . it was all bought into noticed by my coach Mr. Kedar Dhawle.

Initially I didn't know what is the designation of my coach but as the time passed and I played my first state after joining Fencing within 5 months which was held in Nanded , I got to know the person who Played major part in my fencing journey.

Nanded was my first state. At that time I was very nervous. because, I had never experienced such environment.

I played my first team event in foil. I was selected to play foil event and I loved to play with it.

At that time I didn't gave a lead as I was not completely known to the event. I was very upset as I was supposed to play only team event. after that, next day were individual events for which I was not qualified as I had won bronze medal in my first district selection .

But at that time, Kedar Sir came to me and told me to kit up and said that, I was suppose play individual as well. I got kit up at 2.00 pm in the afternoon and I remember my match was conducted at 8.00 pm. Everyone was watching my first match including Kedar Sir sitting on a chair. I got nervous as my first match was with a very experienced player and I was a very basic player at that time. I remember my coach was telling me that, you have played one match, you know how to play so you can play. The bout was conducted and I won my first individual foil bout and second bout too but at the time of third bout, I lost with an experienced player. I don't regret for losing that bout because I was encouraged and inspired to continue Fencing and which created a trust towards my coach .

When we returned back we started the training with more intensity as we had University tournaments scheduled in coming months. I used to practice with fsf's most experienced and the best foil player 'Jay Khandelwal' who has international experience too. As the training proceed there was a bond creation between me and my coach which lead by me winning my first university silver medal in the tournament in 2017-18 .

I remember in the beginning when my coach asked me," which weapon you would to like to fence with? " I said , "I wanted Epee weapon". but my coach told me that, I was fit for foil and not epee .

At that time , I was not happy with my weapon because ,everyone got the weapon of their choice and not me.

I was angry too but after the results ,I felt that my coach was right about me and my weapon too.After that I participated first time in All India Inter University tournament which was held in Patiala .

where ,I saw various players with good skills. It gave me many more good experiences. Even though I lost the team as well as individual events , I was inspired to fence more .

After that I participated in 1st junior state Fencing competition where I lost team and individual event.

In second year of my Fencing 2018-19 again I won silver medal in university tournament and WHO's nationals were held in Amritsar where I reached up to top 32 from last year to losing the first bout in 64 .

In third year of university tournament I won gold medal and participate in All India Inter University tournament in Chandigarh where, In individual event I reached up to top 16 .

In this 4 years of Fencing the more I felt down ,the more I was encouraged by my coach , the more I got distracted , the more my coach made my mind stable . My coach also thought me the spirit of falling and rising at the same time because of which the spirit of moving forward and achieving in this sport continuously run into my head and efforts show up . In this 4 years of Fencing the bond with my coach has increased and developed. This is my fencing journey with some failures and achievements , some ups and downs, some remembering experiences and still many more to go.


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