The aspiring musketeers from the Moka Rangers Sports Club were delighted to benefit from the experience of two fencers from Reunion Island during a training camp from 25 to 29 October 2018. Here’s a look back at a rewarding experience!
On guard!
The Moka Rangers Sports Club has introduced this new discipline in September for the enjoyment of some forty beginners. They have since been busy training under the supervision of a qualified coach, Kevin Musseliah and the three-time fencing champion of Mauritius, Caroline Mamet!
It was their initiative to invite two experts from Reunion Island to the fencing hall. The aim was to enable our fencers to develop new techniques. Kevin and Caroline were spot on since the art of swordplay holds no more secrets for Richard Thomarat.
Drawing inspiration from Reunion Island
A seasoned fencing master, Richard has been quite successful in training young talent at La Buse Club in Saint Denis, Reunion Island for 30 years now! He has actually been a mentor for a dozen French champions. He came to Mauritius with one of his students, Béatrice Clain, a many-times champion of Reunion Island who is used to ranking high in the French championships.
This fantastic pair have shared their expertise with our budding fencing athletes, who gave as good as they got during this meeting, which took place in a friendly atmosphere.
Moka, the home of fencing in Mauritius?
Once reserved for an elite few, fencing has now become more democratic in the islands, especially Reunion and the French Antilles. It was introduced in Mauritius in the 1930s and was met with a certain enthusiasm before running out of steam around 1986.
Foil, sword and sabre fencing have experienced a revival since 2014 with the formation of the Fencing Federation of Mauritius and are attracting more enthusiasts.
This Olympic event contributes to expanding the already extensive array of sports offered by the multidisciplinary club of the Moka Smart City. The fencing lessons supervised by Kevin Musseliah and Caroline Mamet are aimed at adults and children from the age of 8. And who knows, one of them could be the next Mauritian fencing star!
One thing is for sure, this meeting with the fencing specialists from Reunion Island can only encourage our athletes to aim for the highest level of achievement.
A healthy mind in a healthy body
Did you know that fencing is a physical activity that offers various benefits? It is a complete sport which exercises most parts of the body. And to top it all off, this elegant sport is also excellent for the mind!
“It is both a very physical and technical sport that improves observation skills, mental alertness and decision-making. It also increases self-confidence and self-control and exercises the heart, strength and breathing. It contributes to toning the body, helps weight loss and stress management and promotes balance, concentration and flexibility,” said Richard during his visit to Moka.
A few strong reasons to make you want to practise this beautiful sport.
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