With the spotlight firmly placed on the major sporting codes at the upcoming Paris Olympics, South Africa’s lone fencing representative, Harry Saner, says he will be aiming for a gold medal in the City of Light.
The 23-year-old, who will be competing in the men’s Individual Epee event at the Olympics, said he was training hard with a medal in his sights.
"To do my best, to make my country proud and to make myself proud and that is going for a medal and training with a medal-winning mentality," Saner said in an interview with broadcaster Newzroom Afrika.
🤺Meet Harry Saner 🤺
— Team South Africa (@OfficialTeamRSA) July 22, 2024
who is looking to be the first South African to win a medal in fencing at the Olympics! 🌍![CDATA[]]>🏅
Who are you excited to see dominate at the Olympics?
Let's cheer on our favorite athletes and stay motivated on our own journeys! 💪✨#ForMyCountry #TeamSA… pic.twitter.com/JwGBy8WlZA
Saner said he was not feeling any pressure heading to the games, adding that he was well-prepared and could not wait to to get stuck in.
"No pressure, you know how it goes as athletes, we always take as much pressure as we can and I think I'm so ready for it and I can't wait to be blinded by the lights of that awesome stage.
"I think, I'm well prepared for the first few months before my actual qualifier was the most focused and ready I had to be and I was very happy when I performed at my best at that qualifier and won,“ he said.
The last time South Africa had fencing representatives at the Olympic Games was back in 2008, with South Africa’s, first black fencing Olympian Sello Maduma, gracing the stages at the Beijing Olympics, alongside other South African fencing Olympians such as Mike Wood, Dario Torrente, Adele du Plooy, Elvira Wood and Shelley Gosher.
While extremely popular in Europe in countries such as Russia, France, Italy, Hungary, and Germany, fencing remains a niche and relatively unknown sport in South Africa.
Should Saner manage to shock the world in Paris, he could bring new light on fencing in the country.
IOL Sport