‘Believe I’m higher fencer now than I used to be at Tokyo 2020’: For Bhavani Devi, France transfer pays off

Having gained a historic bronze medal on the current Asian Fencing Championships in China’s Wuxi, Indian fencer Bhavani Devi believes that she is a greater fencer now than when she was at Tokyo, the place she turned the primary Indian fencer to ever compete at an Olympics. The cause? Her transfer to France to coach underneath sabre grasp Christian Bauer.

“I believe I’m a better fencer now than I was in Tokyo. My style and way of fencing has changed. I understand fencing as a game, much better now. From Tokyo, the preparation, experiences have helped me to understand better,” Bhavani advised The Indian Express on Tuesday. “The position (you stand in on the piste), the way you attack, the strategy, how you plan your tactics (is what has changed). The basics are the same: attack, defense. But how you attack is different: which moment you choose to attack differs from coach to coach. That’s a big difference for me from my previous coach (Nicola Zanotti).”

The modified model she talks about got here after she moved to Orleans in France to coach underneath famend sabre grasp Christian Bauer in 2021. Until the Olympics, she was primarily based in Livorno the place she was working with Zanotti.

Fencing Star @IamBhavaniDevi on the RISE🔥, delivers 🇮🇳’s 1⃣st ever 🏅on the Asian Fencing Championships🤺

The #TOPSchemeAthlete gained 🥉on the Sr Asian Championship and en route additionally defeated World #1⃣ within the QF 🥳

Well performed Champion!💪🏻🥳 pic.twitter.com/JfmwfKLwKi

— SAI Media (@Media_SAI) June 19, 2023

Bauer, who specialises in sabre, has coached many athletes to Olympic medals: from Aldo Montano (particular person gold at Athens 2004), to the Chinese girls’s sabre group (silver at Beijing 2008) and Zhong Man (males’s particular person gold at Beijing 2008). He was additionally the person behind the Russian sabre fencers at London 2012 and Rio 2016, the place the European powerhouse claimed a number of medals, together with Yana Egorian and Sofya Velikaya’s medals in Bhavani’s occasion.

“Many things have changed (since I shifted to France), the training timing is different. We train with many opponents. We train with one of the best athletes now (World No 11 Manon Brunet). For me, the understanding of the game and training have changed,” she added.

Initially, it took time for Bhavani to regulate to Bauer’s model from the Italian model of fencing she was already aware of.

“It’s an enormous distinction from Livorno to Orleans: The model and the coaching strategies of the coach. It’s a special particular person, Bauer’s a senior coach. He’s a really high-level coach. The coaching is aggressive, technique is completely different, strategies are related however the best way we apply the strategies are completely different. It was an enormous change personally. For me it was very simple to adapt to Italian model (underneath Zanotti), however this was not really easy. To have consistency in the entire season was arduous. But I knew in the future outcomes will come.

“After moving to France, I worked for every competition I competed in, just as I worked hard for the Asian Championships. It’s just that this time the results showed up,” mentioned the 29-year-old.

The means aspirational Indian youth is venturing into newer sports activities & successful medals exhibits how our assured champions are widening their attain & horizon!
With a #Bronze🥉, @IamBhavaniDevi turns into 1st Indian to win a medal at Asian #Fencing Championships!

Congratulations Bhavani! pic.twitter.com/5LMIzL3Adk

— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) June 19, 2023

Bhavani’s path to bronze went by way of world champion and World No 1 Emura Misaki, who she beat 15-10 within the quarter-finals. Bhavani had by no means crushed the Japanese fencer of their previous three conferences on the piste.

“The most important thing I wanted to do against Misaki was fight till the end. I tried to avoid the same mistakes from the last time I played against her at the previous Asian Championship. I just wanted to be in rhythm and have good control on the piste. That worked. I was able to maintain the distance and the timing,” she recalled.

Her win over Misaki was not with out drama. She was main 8-2 in opposition to the Japanese fencer at one level, however in just a few swishes of the blade, the scores had been stage at 10-10.

Immense gratitude & delight for successful India’s 1st-ever medal at Senior Asian Fencing Championship 2023! Standing on the rostrum was emotional.Despite a bronze within the semifinals,this fuels my confidence to work more durable and make our nation proud.Grateful for all assist & needs🙏🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/s8ZHcclKrz

— C A Bhavani Devi (@IamBhavaniDevi) June 19, 2023

“In fencing something can occur. When it turned 10-10, emotionally I used to be just a little insecure as a result of she coated the lead from 2-8. It was an enormous comeback for her. But I didn’t need to quit. I attempted to go for oblique assaults, counter assaults. It labored as I received 5 factors in a row.

“This medal is very special for me. For a country like India in fencing we always work for ranking improvement, or to reach some Round 32 or Round 64. At some point we had to break this pattern, go on the podium! This is the biggest achievement for Indian fencing after me making it to the Olympics. This medal overall has given me more confidence. It makes me believe in myself and the work I do.”