By Abby Chong, Staff Reporter

With swift and eye-catching displays, the sport of fencing captures a unique blend of physical prowess and calculated finesse.

Fencing is a dynamic sport in which athletes engage in strategic duels, called bouts, using three primary weapons: the épée, foil and sabre. Each weapon presents its unique set of challenges as scoring and weapon shape varies among each.

Among those captivated by fencing is sophomore Hannah Han. Han began fencing at the age of 7, using the foil before deciding to switch to the épée for around nine years. Four months ago, Han transitioned to competing with the sabre to further her fencing experience. She appreciates the community that she gradually found within the sport.

“I remember I had so many high ranked bouts where I would be up against my friends and then one of us would win, the other was crying, and then we were just all comforting each other,” Han said. “It was really nice because fencing is very competitive, but when you find the right people, it’s just very wholesome.”

Sophomore Richie Zhang began fencing a year ago. Drawn in by the blend of physical activity and mental aspect, Zhang has grown to like the sport’s uniqueness and complexity.

“I really enjoy the pacing. I think another thing is it’s a very individual sport,” Zhang said. “You have to focus a lot on improving yourself, figuring out what I need (and) what skill I need to practice more. There’s a lot of skills that you can implement so it’s a very reactive sport, which I enjoy.”

Fencers encounter both physical and psychological challenges while fencing. They must not only anticipate and counter their opponents’ moves but also formulate new strategies depending on how the bout changes. Opponents may also adapt throughout the match. For many, the mental aspect of the sport can prove particularly daunting, especially for a beginner such as Zhang.

“My biggest problem is the mental challenge. Psychologically, I need to remind myself, ‘Okay, I’m fencing against amazing fencers.’ I can’t beat myself up too much for losing a bout,” Zhang said.

Zhang encourages others to follow in his footsteps and not be afraid to join a new sport.

“Go try it out. I did it a year ago. I thought, ‘I’m too old for this. There’s no way. I’m not gonna be able to catch up as much,’” Zhang said. “But I think ‘I’m doing okay.’ I feel like anybody, if you really want to (and) if you really have the passion for fencing, should at least try it out.”

Abby Chong can be reached at [email protected].