Bryanston fencer makes his dream of becoming a knight true
BRYANSTON – Local resident, Harry Saner is on point with his fencing.
Bryanston resident, Harry Saner has realised his childhood dream of becoming a real knight, never mind that he is representing his country at the same time.
The 17-year-old matric learner at St Stithians College has been fencing for eight years and representing his country for the last two.
“Fencing is an all-round sport,” he explained. “It keeps my body and mind fit. The physical side is great but fencing also helps with problem-solving and developing a strategy to defeat your opponent.”
Saner first competed for South Africa at the U17 Fencing World Championships in France, in 2016. There, he was unable to make it past the preliminary rounds.
Afterwards, Saner worked hard and earned selection for the SA team at the U20 Fencing World Championships in Bulgaria, last year.
Not only did Saner beat four of his six opponents in the prelimary rounds, he won his first eliminator against an Israeli fencer.
He then lost to an Italian fencer in the next round.
“I hate losing, or missing my target, or doing something wrong. But it is part of the sport so you have to deal with it.”
His favourite fencing sword is the épée, which can be frustrating to use, he said, because a fencer can hit their opponent anywhere on the body to score a point.
“You can be a national champion and still lose to a two-year-old if they keep getting lucky and hitting you on the arm,” he laughed.
Saner’s mother, Jo Ann, is the national competition supervisor for the Fencing Federation of South Africa, and Saner grew up ‘loving swords and knights’.
“I tried horse riding for a while but didn’t enjoy it, so I tried fencing, and found I loved it. Now I want to work towards winning an Olympic medal.”
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Also check out:
https://fourwaysreview.co.za/254965/living-by-the-sword/
