Confessions of a Travelling Fencer: The homeward leg

One thing about being a travelling fencer is that the competitions at home are also important. In Malaysia we use certain local tournaments for national and state rankings, so you have to come back for those overseas or those in the states like Sabah and Sarawak, fly over to get your ranking. This year has been good in terms of scheduling, no conflicts with any international tournaments which is great.  

Sleeping in your own bed, going to school, training at the club, being a kid and doing all the normal things that everyone else does. Honestly, it is great fun. When you spend so much time travelling for competitions, you start appreciating the little things at home. There is no packing and unpacking your fencing bag, no checking flight times or trying to figure out what time it is in another country.

You get to catch up with friends, go to school, do your homework and just hang out without thinking about the next competition for a while. Of course, training still goes on, so it is not exactly a holiday. But having that little bit of normal life in between tournaments helps me recharge, both physically and mentally. As much as I love travelling and competing overseas, it is nice to come home, sleep in my own bed and just be a kid again. Now to the fencing.

The story on the piste, interesting poules and a serious pathway that would put me in the way of two senior fencers. Sometimes the idea of just fence and don’t worry about the fencer really works, well I needed to deliver three come from behind 15 - 14 matches to bring home the gold for the Malaysia Open. This is the winning moment, a great match with Tristan. 

Many people don’t know, that sometimes I don’t get to travel with Coach Andrew, yes, he has other fencers that he takes care of at the club, not just me. I better say thank you here, just in case he starts his own column which starts talking about smelly fencing gear. All jokes aside, it’s good to have Coach Andrew in my corner in these kinds of moments.

It’s not something that is easy to explain, but when you have someone who knows your fencing, understands how you think and believes in you, it makes a difference. Sometimes, you don’t even need a long speech or some big motivational talk. Just knowing that he is there, that he understands what I am trying to do and that he has my back, gives me that extra bit of confidence when it matters most. Fencing might look like an individual sport, but there is a whole team behind every result, and I’m lucky to have him as big part of my team.

At the same time, your club has to be a safe place, a safe space, and my club mates are quite literally the best, I’m free to be myself at the club. If you ask my mom, perhaps too much, she always says that if some of the things my clubmates see by everyone then it would “really bring down any kind of glamour level” like swinging my sox around after taking them off, or just lying on the floor after an intense workout. I also help out with motivation around the club, this is some of my best work with Jahaziell and a slice of pizza. The boy is ripped anyway, but it’s the thought that counts. 

I have a few go-to food spots when a tournament is over in Malaysia. One of my favourites, especially if it is still daylight, is a Chinese Muslim restaurant at the bottom of the street, right on the edge of Petaling Street. After spending hours in fencing gear, competing and trying to keep your energy up, a good meal is one of the best rewards. I usually go for noodles, soup or dumplings, depending on what I feel like eating. My dad, on the other hand, has his usual order: beef fried rice. It is a simple thing, but sitting down together for a proper meal after a tournament is part of what makes competing at home special. You get to relax, talk about the day and, most importantly, enjoy your food without having to rush off to catch a flight.

Speaking of relaxing, I made sure to visit the usual suspects in my recovery suitcase. This time, it meant an extra-long session at Dr.stretch in Mid Valley. For me, recovery is a mixture of active and assisted work, and the team there knows what they are doing. One thing that has really worked for me over the past year or so is having a regular trainer. They get to know your preferences, understand where you tend to feel tight after training and can adjust the session to what your body needs.

When you are fencing regularly, travelling for competitions and spending hours on your feet, you cannot just expect your body to keep going without looking after it. Sometimes, recovery means stretching and working on your mobility; other times, it is about slowing down and giving your muscles a chance to reset. I am still learning what works best for me, but having people who understand my routine makes the whole process a lot easier. It is not the most exciting part of being an athlete, but it is definitely one of the things that helps me get ready for the next tournament.

With a few exciting locations on the radar for the rest of the season, I will keep you updated as the schedule develops. Until then, Kuala Lumpur will remain home and an important part of traveling is being able to come home, it should also be a memorable page in the life of a travelling fencer, KL is city of history, food and some wonderful memories.

NDA’s “Confessions of a Travelling Fencer” is a personal story of what a young Malaysian fencer, Saif Nordin, gets to experience off the piste, as he travels the world for the sport he loves. Saif believes it’s important to remember that “Not everything that glitters is Gold”. He said, “Even though as a fencer, we love the taste of victory and the gold around our necks.”