Saturday, 17th February
saw the very first demonstration of wheelchair fencing at the Princess Royal Sports Complex. Organised by Wellington Swords Fencing Club in conjunction with Wellington School and the British Disabled Fencing Association, the session saw demonstrations of the sport from Great Britain international wheelchair fencers .Olympic interest
Overseeing the event was special guest, Dame Mary Alison Glen-Haig DBE, who is an Honorary Member of the International Olympic Committee, and also a former Olympic fencer herself.
The event was well attended by wheelchair users from the local areas, as well as fencers from the South West area, keen to find out more about this version of their sport.
Wheelchair fencing
Competitive wheelchair fencing was first introduced in 1953 and has been a Paralympic sport since Rome in 1960.
It differs from able bodied fencing only in the fact that it is static: the fencers use wheelchairs which are clamped to the piste by means of a metal frame.
New sport in Wellington
Wellington Swords Fencing Club is planning to organise a weekly disabled fencing session from May 2007.
It has applied for funding for equipment from Awards for All and other local grants to purchase the equipment necessary to take part in the sport.
The PRSC based club is fortunate in having as the resident fencing coach, Professor Gyorgy Felletar from Hungary, who is a specialist in wheelchair fencing.
He has trained the Hungarian Wheelchair Fencing Team to Olympic standard in Atlanta and Sydney
Finding out more
This is an exciting opportunity for all wheelchair users regardless of their physical disability to take up a new sport which could lead to international sports success representing their country.
