With a new Chairperson for Limpopo Fencing Association and an international épée fencer and coach on board, the organisation is geared to reach for higher levels and intends creating a platform that allows participation for all.
Renuka Ramroop was elected as chairperson last year and indicated that with coach Sello Maduma Limpopo fencing can now start dreaming and reaching goals.
Together they have established a new club, Sello Maduma Fencing Academy, which has already lured some amateurs showing interest in the sport.
“Besides creating a platform for young and old to participate in fencing, we are also aiming at hosting a first ever schools league in the province. When we can achieve that we can feed our provincial teams and eventually see local fencers is the national team,” Ramroop said.
Limpopo Fencing Association is also geared to allocate resources to existing and new clubs and support them in any way possible to help grow the sport.
Maduma hopes to see fencing becoming a sport among all ages. “Fencing does not have an age limit. I would like to see a continued interest amongst children and older people and to establish a high-performance team in the long run,” he said.
The province already boasts five fencers with national colours two of whom will represent the country during the Junior Africa Championships to be held in Ghana in February,
Maduma’s dream is to see a membership of more than 100 fencers in Limpopo and maybe more than one coach. “In the long term we will definitely train performing fencers for the Olympics.”
Maduma, 32, has national colours as épée fencer. He represented South Africa at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing and was the first black South African to participate at the Olympics in fencing.
His career has several highlights such as participating in the Junior World Championships in Turkey in 2007, African Championships in Senegal in 2009, Senior World Championships in Paris and African Championships in Egypt in 2010, Epée Grand Prix in Qatar, African Championships in Tunisia and World Championships in Italy in 2011. In 2009 he was also crowned national fencing champion.
Added to that in 2012 he lost in the finals of the Olympics Zonal qualifications in Morocco. In 2013 he was captain of the South African épée team during the African Championships in Cape Town and qualified for the World Championships in Hungary but could not attend due to the lack of funding.
His list of achievements continues and in 2017 coached 80% of national fencing clubs as guest coach. In the same year he is invited to do an épée specialist course for three months in Hungary followed by his appointment as national team coach and Technical Director for Bangladesh on a 12 months contract. He has also coached Angola’s and Botswana’s national teams.
Currently Maduma is head of fencing development and high performance at Limpopo Fencing Association.
Anyone interested in joining the world of fencing can contact Maduma on 079 941 9411 or Ramroop on 082 872 9592. The association’s training hours in Polokwane are on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 14:30 to 16:30 for beginners and juniors while seniors, adults and experienced fencers train from 17:00 to 19:00.
Story and photo: RC Myburgh
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