admin Aspire Academy brought together fencers from six nations for a training camp ahead of the upcoming season. Fencers from the Netherlands, Greece, Argentina, Malaysia, Thailand and Saudi Arabia joined local Qatari fencers alongside Aspire Academy student-athletes and graduates.
Among the 66 fencers who gathered were Saudi Arabia’s Khalifah al-Omairi, who won bronze in the epee at the recent World Championships in Hong Kong, and Dutch athlete Tristan Tulen, who has competed at the Olympics and won the Doha Grand Prix in January.
The week-long training camp featured 12 sessions totalling 36 hours, overseen by 16 coaches from both Aspire Academy and overseas. It included work on footwork, technical skills, as well as strength and conditioning.
In addition to the coaching sessions, several social activities were organised for the visitors, including a meal at Souq Waqif, a trip to the cinema, and badminton and swimming sessions. Hugo Dergal, Senior Fencing Coach for epee at Aspire Academy, said there had been very positive feedback from the visiting fencers and coaches as well as the local athletes.
“We are delighted that they have been able to enjoy the Aspire Academy facilities: from our fencing hall to our gyms for physical preparation and the recovery centre,” he said. “My hope is that we can build on this camp, make it bigger, and invite more fencers from not just the Middle East but from around the globe.”
He added that the Aspire Academy student-athletes have learnt many valuable lessons from the training camp. “During the training sessions, the professionals are very disciplined and always engaged; this is an area our student-athletes can learn from,” he explained.
“Even if we are tired, even if it’s a long session, we need to keep our focus and maintain that discipline, as that will help us in competition. This is a chance for our student-athletes to get a first-hand look at exactly what it means to be a top-class fencer.”
“They can see how some of the very best train, how they are always discussing their sessions and taking ideas from those around them. All of this means they can understand the sport better and hopefully means they can progress to the highest possible levels.”
Dutch fencer Tristan Tulen was impressed with the potential of the Aspire Academy fencers. “I was really happy to accept the invite, especially because the Aspire facilities are really first-class, so I accepted without hesitation,” he said.
“They’re (Aspire Academy fencers) very professional in many ways at such a young age. So I think they have strong potential to develop into international players in the future. They have the same personality as me; I also get flared up when I lose a match, and I use it to evaluate what I have done and use it as motivation for my next encounter. I would encourage them to do the same.”
Among the local fencers taking part in the training camp was Qatar’s top fencer Ali Turki Owaida, who ended last season by becoming the first Qatari to reach the last 64 at the World Fencing Championships.
His next challenge is competing for Qatar at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan, which begin on 19 September, and he is determined to build on his recent success.
“It’s easy for a person to see one result and be happy and satisfied, but my goal and those of Aspire Academy and the national team are always to improve,” he insisted. “I am now determined to improve my understanding of how to read the sport better and how to approach a match with a better mentality. These are the things that differentiate world-class players from others.”
Ali Turki Owaida will be joined by five other Aspire Academy graduates and two current student-athletes for a training camp in Japan starting on September 13 ahead of the fencing competition at the Asian Games, which begins a week later.
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