Young players to fight for Kenya in Europe

By PHARES MUTEMBEI

 Eight Kenyan children are set to make history when they represent the country in an Olympic Fencing Championship to be held in Austria from 27th to 28th April.

 The youngsters will jet out to the European country for the Alpen-Adria Youth Fencing Championship after which they will proceed to Cape Town, South Africa, for the Africa Fencing championships.

Even though fencing is an Olympic sport, it is still alien in Kenya. Fencing is played by two people wearing protective clothing and carrying swords. In a fight, points are scored when one player hits an opponent with the point of the sword.

The first player, or fencer, to score the required number of points is the winner of the match. In fencing, body contact is not allowed. It is only when you touch the opponent that you score points. “There are three types of fencing: foil, sabre and epee. There are also different types of weapons and even the target areas are different,” says Ifra Mohamed, 11, a Class Six pupil at Moi Forces Academy.

“To be a good fencer, you have to be very alert and light on your feet. In fencing, everything is about your speed in avoiding being hit. I am a patient player but when I get a weaker opponent, I can play very fast! The secret to winning is to be smarter than your opponent.”

Fencing might seem an injury-ridden sport but according to James Mwangi, a Class Seven pupil at Salama Primary School in Huruma who has been fencing for six months now, fencing is not as dangerous as it looks. He explains that the swords used in fencing are not dangerous but players are required to wear light helmets and clothing made of tough material. An excited Mwangi could not conceal his pride for being part of the team representing Kenya in this unique sporting gala.

The team is currently training at Ongoza Njia Community Centre in Huruma, Nairobi. The team, made up of five boys and three girls is being coached by Steven Okalo, the Secretary General of Kenya Fencing Association, and Francis   Irungu. Speaking to Generation Next, Wilson Kariuki, the club’s patron appealed to well wishers to donate air tickets and expense money so that the young team can realise their dream of playing for.