Australian National Champions 2011


Following on the tradition of the National Champion questionsairre, the 6 2011 Champions kindly contributed some answers following their Championship win.

“The Sword Fighter Dozen”

Australian 2011 National Mens Sabre Champion: James Walsh

1: How long have you been Fencing? What made you start?

A: I started fencing when I was 11.  I just wanted to try something different. A sport that not many people I knew had tried.

2: How long have you been Competing at National level?

A: I’ve been fencing at the National level for 10 years.  I started doing U15 National Champs in 2001.

3: What made you choose your weapon?

A: I prefer Sabre because it is the fastest, but also the most technical of all the weapons, in my opinion anyway.

4: Where is your favourite place to fence or to train?

A: I love fencing and training in Italy. The last two years we have been fortunate enough to train with the Italian National Sabre Sqaud in Rome. That has been amazing.

5: How important have a coach and training partners been to you?

A: I could not continue to improve without my coach, Antonio Signorello or without my training partners.  I have been very lucky to be able to train with Antonio and the squad he has assembled.  

6: What are your ambitions for 2012? work / training / competition?

A: I will continue to train and early in 2012, will travel to Europe with the Australian Mens Sabre Team to compete in 3 World Cups and hopefully be able to improve my International ranking. I am a small chance to qualify for the Olympics and of course that would be a dream, but at this stage my main focus is just on continuing to improve my fencing.

7: Who if anyone have you modeled your fencing on? Or do you have a favourite Fencer ( nternationally)?

A: I have not modeled my fencing on any one fencer in particular, but the fencer I most admire is Nicholas Limbach (GER Olympic Silver medalist ed).  I was fortunate enough to train along with him and the rest of the German team when they came to a camp in Rome.  His total comprehension of every element in Sabre and his level of skill in every facet of the sport are quite amazing. (James fenced Nicholas in the World Champs D/E at the recent World Champs in the round of 64. ed).

8: What are your future ambitions?

A: My ambitions are to continue to improve Australia’s standing internationally and hopefully start to make 32’s, 16’s and 8’s and so on at World Cups, Asian Championships and World Championships.

9: What difference if any did this national event have to others?

A: Every national event is different, depending on the size of the comp, who is fencing and how the draw ends up, but I try to approach each comp, each bout and every point as exactly the same.  Doesn’t matter who is on the other end.  I just need to fence my game and work hard for every hit, whether it is in the poules or a final.  

10: What is your weekly training Regime?

 A: I train Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.  Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday are fencing sessions focusing on bouting.  Thursday and Fridays are generally just for lessons with Antonio.  Saturday mornings are gym sessions.

11:  What advice would you give future Australian champions?

A: Training cannot be approached in the abstract.  Everything you do in training has to have a purpose that will come through in your fencing during a competition.  Never just train absentmindedly without considering what you are doing and why.

12: What do you think should happen to / in Australian fencing?

A: I think Australian fencing is on the right track.  In the last few years a number of changes have been made that have already benefitted all of Australian fencing.  I would like to see this trend continue and Australian fencing continue to modernise and change for the better.

Thanks so much James..good luck for 2012.

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