Singapore's Juliet Heng surprises herself with historic silver medal at Asian Fencing C'ships
The silver medal won by Juliet Heng, who is ranked world No. 93, is Singapore's best finish in the competition. PHOTO: BIZZITEAM
SINGAPORE – Almost two hours on from clinching a historic silver medal at the Asian Fencing Championships on June 18, Singapore's Juliet Heng was still in disbelief and unable to quite comprehend what she had just achieved while speaking to The Straits Times.
Earlier in the day, the 20-year-old had reached the women's sabre final, where she fell 15-7 to Japan's defending champion and world No. 2 Misaki Emura at the Westin Resort Nusa Dua in Bali, Indonesia.
The silver won by Heng, who is the world No. 93, is Singapore's best finish in the continental competition.
It surpassed the modest target she had set for herself.
The Singapore Sports School student said: 'I had zero expectations. When people asked me (before the competition) , I said I wanted to get third, but deep inside I didn't actually believe I could get third. But then, now I am in second.
'I'm shocked. I'm actually still just trying to process it. I still can't believe I made it all the way... to the podium stage.'
A joint-bronze in the women's foil by Amita Berthier in the 2023 edition had been Singapore's best showing till Heng's silver.
Singapore had also won a joint-bronze in 2022 in the women's foil team event courtesy of Maxine Wong, Berthier, Denyse Chan and Cheung Kemei, as well as in 2010 via Ruth Ng, Tay Yu Ling, Wang Wenying and Cheryl Wong.
Heng said that recent results had left her devoid of confidence in the lead up to the Asian championships, although she wanted to do well to repay the faith that her coach, Kim Seung-jun, had in her.
At the Asian Junior & Cadet Fencing Championships in Kuwait in February, she exited in the quarter-finals. Two months later, she bowed out in the round of 64 in the Junior & Cadet Fencing World Championships in Wuxi, China.
Heng, who won a SEA Games gold medal on her debut at the 2023 edition in Cambodia, said: 'I haven't been fencing great, to be honest. I haven't had the best season since last year.
'I hadn't got any breakthroughs, so I was waiting for something, but I didn't know what it was going to be. And also, I have been having a lot of stress and worry about what if I am not able to do well.'
The mantra, Heng said, was to win one match at a time after emerging from the opening pool stage.
First, she defeated compatriot and world No. 264 Jermaine Tan 15-7 and edged out 152nd-ranked Tatyana Prikhodko of Kazakhstan 15-13, before overcoming three top-30 fencers.
In the round of 16, she beat Japan's world No. 26 Seri Ozaki 15-8, before a pulsating finish saw her pip Uzbekistan's world No. 18 Zaynab Dayibekova 15-14 to make the semi-finals, where she defeated 20th-ranked Kim Jeong-mi of South Korea 15-12.
Heng said the feats of Berthier and Kiria Tikanah Abdul Rahman – both two-time Olympians – had motivated her, as well as the relentless cheers from her teammates during her bouts.
'I think it (the silver) shows me that I can fence with people at the top level,' she said.
'And also, this medal is not just for me. I think more importantly, I always wanted to put Singapore's name on the map. I want to show people that Singapore is able to achieve stuff. And Amita and Kiria started that.
'I'm just glad I was able to continue it and improve it as well.'
Up next for Heng is the World Fencing Championships in Georgia from July 22 to 30, before she defends her gold medal at the Dec 9-20 SEA Games in Thailand.
For now, there are no targets but a renewed confidence in her mental strategy of winning one match at a time.
Heng said: 'I'm not going to put any pressure (on myself) by saying, 'Oh, I won this, so I should be doing well there (at the world championships).' I just want to replicate the same mentality and mindset that I had today... and if it is meant to be, it will be.'
The fencers will next contest the men's foil and women's epee individual events on June 19 before team events kick off a day later.
Raphael Tan, Julian Soh, Jonathan Lim and Chin Chun Wai will represent Singapore in the men's individual foil while Kiria, Elle Koh, Filzah Hidayah Nor Anuar and Esther Tan will fly the flag for the Republic in the women's individual epee.
Deepanraj Ganesan is a sports journalist at The Straits Times focusing on football, athletics, combat sports and policy-related news.
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