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IDPD SEATED FENCING DEMONSTRATION EVENT

Salle Paul Phoenix Fencing Club, supported by BF, put on a great seated fencing event on 3rd December at the Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation’s (SMBC) UK headquarters in Liverpool Street, as part of the bank’s celebration of International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD).

The event took place in celebration of International Day of Persons with Disabilities (Image: Jon Salfield).

The event began with a panel of three Paralympians taking part in a live question and answer session which, as well as being open to the live audience at the event, was also streamed globally to SMBC offices. The panel was chaired by Vincci Woo, and consisted of GB’s Paralympic gold medallist and World Champion Dmitri Coutya, Paralympic medallist and GB international fencer Oliver Lam-Watson, and Clémence Delavoipière, a member of the French Paralympic team at Paris 2024. The three athletes, along with GBR coach Jon Salfield, shared their experiences in fencing, some of the challenges they’ve faced, and answered questions from audience members.

Five people are taking part in a panel talk.
L-R: Dimitri Coutya, Oliver Lam-Watson, Clémence Delavoipière, Jon Salfield, Vincci Woo (Image: Jon Salfield).

After the panel event, Oliver and Jon put on an exciting wheelchair fencing exhibition match, fencing up to ten hits in front of an enthusiastic crowd. Oliver won the encounter 10-9, with Salle Paul Phoenix Head Coach Oana Puiu refereeing.

Two wheelchair fencers take part in a match in front of a screen that says 'Join us in celebrating International Day of Persons with Disabilities'.
Jon and Oliver took part in a wheelchair fencing exhibition match (Image: Jon Salfield).

Oana, assisted by GB international fencers Olympios Gougoulias and Bea Abram-Moore, as well as the three panellists, then delivered a series of taster sessions to audience members, using three sets of BF’s innovative SwordSeat.

More info about the SwordSeat, including how you can purchase or build your own, can be found on the SwordSeat webpage here.

Two people are fencing on a pair of SwordSeats. Several people are watching.
A demonstration of the SwordSeat (Image: Jon Salfield).

Report courtesy of Jon Salfield.