Diepkloof’s own fencing queen heads to Cairo
South Africa's number one ranked fencer in the women's sabre category and first black female fencing coach in South Africa is from Diepkloof.
South Africa’s number one ranked fencer in the women’s sabre category and first black female fencing coach in South Africa is from Diepkloof.
23-year-old Nomvula Mbatha, who started fencing when she was in high school is finally a qualified coach, she is from the Soweto Fencing Club and will be making Soweto proud internationally as she is heading to Cairo for the rescheduled Olympic zonal qualifiers taking place this month between the 18th and the 24th.
“It started back in 2012 and I was just doing épée then and now I do sabre as well, in 2014 I went to the African Youth Games in Botswana and that’s one of my biggest highlights. I grew up in a community where soccer and netball are the most common sporting activities, but I don’t do well in groups, because I want to take responsibility for my loss and celebrate my victory when I win and that’s why I went for fencing which was introduced to me back in high school,” Mbatha said.
[also read] – Kicking it from Soweto to Durban
“I realised that I am good in fencing when I won my first bronze, and this is where my fencing journey started because the bronze served as a motivation for me. At first, my family was a bit skeptical but they later came around and now they are 100% behind me.”
Due to Covid-19, Mbatha went into 2021 staring at the prospect of not being able to realise her dreams and compete internationally in a bid to qualify for the Olympic Games.
Thankfully, she is now finally heading to Cairo. After she missed an Olympic qualifier due to lack of funding, Vodacom has committed to supporting Mbatha financially to travel to the Olympic qualifier as well as with the coaching sessions she needs to prepare for this qualifier and the new kit she requires as a standard international competition kit.
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