Fencing in Namibia

Fencing dates back to 1950 where the Windhoek Fencing Club was very active and took part even in South African Tournaments. But then for nearly 50 years, Fencing was not practiced in Namibia. In 2006, Fencing was revived through the help of Usmanov and his Foundation. Due to his help by providing basic fencing equipment fencing in Namibia became alive again. 2007 the F.I.E. and the Namibian National Olympic Committee recognized the Namibian Fencing Federation. Because of Usmanovs support and contribution, Namibian fencers could even attend Training lessons and Workshops at Mr. Usmanovs African Training Center. It is located at Dr. Gennady Tyshlers Fencing School, Johannesburg, South Africa. This resulted in a growing interest for fencing and the Namibian Fencing Federation is by now a respected and well-recognized Federation. December 2008, the acting President of the Federation represented Namibia at the World Conference held at Paris, France. At the beginning January 2009 a second fencing Club, called Highlanders, was opened in Windhoek. By June, a Club was established at Katima Mulilo and Gobabis. The number of fencers increased to 40. During 2009, regular competitions were held to provide a national ranking system. The first Namibian National Championship happened in November 2009. By 2010, the first international Competition was born Cape Town. Four Fencers took part a bronze medal was won in Junior Ladies Epee.

In 2010, the NFF sent the first Namibian fencer to an FIE governed competition. Justin Jacobs participated in the 2010 World Fencing Championships held in Paris at the Grand Palais from 4–13 November. He placed 187th in Men's [1] Epee. On 11 December 2010, Three fencers were sent; Natascha Dieterich, Jens Pinsenschaum and Justin Jacobs, to the 2010 Junior and Cadet African Championships held in Johannesburg where they won bronze in the junior team competition behind Egypt and South Africa. Individually Jens Pinsenschaum and Justin Jacobs competed in the Junior Men's Epee, where Justin Jacobs placed 10th and Jens Pinsenschaum 11th. Natascha Dieterich competed in the Junior Women's Epee where she placed 6th. She was the only fencer to compete for Namibia on the 2011 Junior and Cadet African Championships held in Alger, Algeria, where she won Bronze in Cadet Women's Epee. She is currently Namibia's most successful fencer.[2]

In 2012, two fencers, namely Natascha Dieterich and Jens Pinsenschaum, competed in the World Cadet and Junior Fencing Championships held in Moscow, Russia. Jens Pinsenschaum placed 149th in Junior Men's Epee [3] Natascha Dieterich placed 110th in Junior Women's Epee and 50th in Cadet Women's Epee.

Natascha Dieterich fencing at the 2012 World Cadets and Juniors Fencing Championships

In 2013, Namibia sent two fencers, Jens Pinsenschaum and Jonathan Rush, to the African Championships held in Cape Town, South Africa.Jonathan Rush placed 21st and Jens Pinsenschaum 22nd. The 2013 World Cadets and Juniors Fencing Championships were held in Poreč, Croatia from 6 to 10 April. Natascha Dieterich was the only fencer Namibia sent. She placed 114th in Junior Women's Epee and 85th in Cadet Women's Epee. Namibia sent one fencer; Jonathan Rush to the 2013 World Fencing Championship in Budapest, Hungary. He placed 203rd in Men's Epee.

From July 3-5, 2012, the NFF hosted a three-day workshop with the Christel House Fencing Club form Cape Town South Africa that ended in three different competitions. The first competition was the Ladies Open won by Natascha Dieterich; the next event was the Ladies Team Event, where 5 fencers from both clubs were selected. Windhoek Fencing Club won the team event. The last Event was the mixed pair open where a male fencer and female fencer would fence together and their scores would be added cumulatively. The winners of this event were Zeetah Sitzer form Christel House Fencing Club and Dillon Kotze.

The Windhoek Fencing club has hosted the last 8 recorded Namibian National Opens, two from the 1950s and from to 2007 to 2013.

The results for the 2011 Namibian National Open

The results for the 2012 Namibian National Open

The results for the 2013 Namibian National Open [4]

The results for the 2014 Namibian National Open

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