Fencing, a challenging sport in which two opponents compete with a weapon such as a foil, èpèè, or sabre, is a unique physical activity that requires precision, strategy, and speed. Sword fights date all the way back to 1190 BC in Ancient Egypt, but it wasn’t until the 14th and 15th century that Fencing was named as a sport in Germany and Italy. The first fencing competition was held in 1880 in London. Approximately 16 years after that, both the Fencing Association and the Amateur Gymnastic created the official rules for the sport, which was coincidentally the same year Fencing was brought to the Olympics. Since then, many high schools have adapted to the sport, one of those being ACP.

One of ACP’s talented sophomores, Gabi Hwang, has a passion for Fencing. She fences for Puerto Rico and will be for the upcoming summer Olympic games. She was recognized and featured on AZ Family’s Something Good segment this past week. She has been preparing for the summer games by training at her practice multiple days a week for several hours, and working out consistently. Gabi began playing the sport at the young age of seven, when she was interested in looking for a sport to play at the time. She hopes to make it to the Olympics as it would be a big deal for Puerto Rico because it has been many years since the territory last made it. If you are looking to get into the sport, Gabi has some advice for you, “If you want to get serious about Fencing, you will expect to give up a lot of time, and travel to a new country every month. So if you can commit to having Fencing take up a big portion of your daily life, then I definitely recommend trying the sport.”

Fencing is a sport that is rare but very rewarding at the same time. It teaches you the arts of movement and intricate techniques. Like Gabi, other individuals have come to love the sport because of its uniqueness. It teaches individuals valuable lessons such as  self-defense and coordination. Don’t forget to strive for the impossible and be extraordinary. Go Knights!