I was recently asked why I started a fencing academy. Back then, I had been at the twilight of my competitive career, about to embark on a path of entrepreneurship. I was the top-ranked fencer in the country (Men’s Foil) and had made many sacrifices and dedicated a lot of time to the sport. Two bronze medals (individual and team) at the SEA Games 2003 in Vietnam were the highlights of my fencing career, but something was missing. Somehow, it felt like there were some missed chances, mistakes that were made, optimizations that were not had, and potential not realized; but it was too late.
In 2005, I resolved to start my own fencing school, to do for other people what I would have wanted for myself; to bring the best coaching knowledge, most optimal training, supported by sports science and constantly upgraded knowledge, so that the best athletes can be produced to compete at a world level.
SEA Games, Asian Games, and the Olympics!
Blade Club has grown tremendously in the last two decades, and I could not be more proud of our achievements. When we first started, we were training in an air-conditionless badminton hall in Clementi, sweating buckets in our fencing suits. Now, we have two facilities in Singapore, and sister academies in Malaysia, Thailand, and Xi’an, China.
Our athletes have made many major milestones in the sport, including first ever Golds at the SEA Games level, youngest ever Gold medalist in the SEA Games, multiple Asian fencing medals, an Asian Games medal, and representing Singapore at not one by two Olympic Games!
As founder, coach and parent, I am extremely proud of the fact that my own daughter, at age 14, nearly 20 years after my two SEA Games bronzes back in 2003, beat my results with her two SEA Games golds in 2022. Her results are testament to the hard work put in by our club, its coaches, the athletes, and their parents.
Looking ahead, 20 years on
The results we have achieved in our two decades of history show us that nothing is beyond our reach. I am very heartened by the support of our parents who have entrusted us with the development of their children in their formative years. Not just to be excellent fencers and athletes, but also to become excellent human beings who can are intelligent, resilient, disciplined, and good people.
We have been here for 20 years and we will keep doing this for 20 more!