‘We are growing as a community’, says SA fencer Lexiy Lancaster
The UCT student athlete is also a coach at Blues fencing club and very involved in the development of young women epeeists, including Scarlett Swigelaar and Zoe Synders
Lexiy Lancaster (R) during a fencing competition. Picture: Supplied.
JOHANNESBURG - One of South Africa’s top fencers, Lexiy Lancaster, is dedicated to growing the sport in South Africa.
The UCT student athlete is also a coach at Blues fencing club and very involved in the development of young women epeeists, including Scarlett Swigelaar and Zoe Synders.
“There are women from all different areas of Cape Town who train at our club, and sometimes there are visiting fencers from all over the world who choose to train at Blues. UCT as a student club also pulls in a lot of people who would otherwise never have had the opportunity to try out the sport. This diversity makes us so much better as fencers.”
In 2023, she passed her Global Fencing Masters Level 1 coaching course and got the opportunity to be the piste coach(a coach who provides guidance and instruction to fencers on the "piste," which is the designated fencing strip or playing area) for her teammate at the Milan Senior World Championships.
READ: From Khayelitsha to the world: Fencing twins set sights on gold in Nigeria
Lexiy Lancaster is part of South Africa’s senior squad heading to the African Championships in Nigeria. Picture: Supplied.
Talking about where South Africa stands compared to the rest of the world, she said it's a very small fencing nation and far from the big European and Asian clubs and tournaments, but was still having an impact.
“Recently, an Egyptian became the head of the FIE, our international governing body, and a South African is the deputy head. We also have some very strong fencing nations in Africa, particularly Egypt who medalled in the most recent Olympics and consistently has high world rankings for their teams. South African fencing is still very small. It’s going to take a while to build to where we want to be, not just in South Africa but in the Southern African Region. We are growing as a community.”
Lancaster, along with Phumza and Phakama Yantolo, make up three-quarters of the women's epee squad competing at the African Championships in Nigeria this June. Travelling with them to Nigeria will be Blues and UCT head coach Patrick Collings.
“I am incredibly excited, and I’m particularly excited because I get to go with my teammates and friends. We fence together in training and in local team competitions, so it makes it extra exciting to be able to compete with them. I have put so much work into making the team, getting the opportunity to test myself against the best in Africa is a dream.”
Coach Patrick Collings, standing with fencers Phumza and Phakama Yantolo (identical twins) and Lexiy Lancaster, who make up three-quarters of the women's epee squad competing at the African Championships in Nigeria. Picture: Supplied.
She tells Eyewitness News that competitions are exciting, as it is a chance to test everything one has been working towards.
“Winning is always a thrill, but I really love the feeling of having fenced the best I possibly could. When everything is working and your distance and timing are in, everything just flows, and it feels like magic.”
Lancaster currently ranks in the top four of women’s epee in South Africa and has represented South Africa at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.