Fencing champion trains for the 2012 Olympics

At 18 years old, Gaurav Gupta has already achieved the number one spot in Indian fencing and he has plans to better that by becoming an Olympian in London 2012.

Following a gruelling final in the Indian Men’s Senior Foil Championships in Salem in Southern India, Gaurav Gupta is back at the University of Leicester to continue with his studies. This January, he was the Runner-up in the Indian Championships, and in January 2009 he beat all the competition to become India’s number one fencer.

Gaurav’s family are originally from Uttar Pradesh in Northern India, but Gaurav has lived in England all his life. He began fencing at 12 years old, when he joined an after school fencing club. Since then, Gaurav has excelled in a variety of competitions, reaching national and international levels.

Gaurav commented:

“I am happy about the success I’m having in my fencing but think of this as a start and not the end. I want to further my skills to one day be an Olympian and to put India on the map in the fencing arena.”

He is an active member of the University of Leicester Fencing Club, and also travels to London each Wednesday to spend a day training with professional coaches. Juggling his academic studies with fencing can be difficult, but his love of the sport spurs him on to work hard at both.

Colin Hide, Director of Sport at the University of Leicester, said:

“The very qualities that will bring Gaurav an outstanding degree – hard work, dedication, tenacity and mental toughness - will bring him further success within world fencing.

“Success breeds success and a successful fencer will most often be a successful student as each discipline informs the other about how to become a winner. I wish Gaurav every success for 2012.”