Athletes chase records. But it seems that records are chasing India's fencing sensation C A Bhavani Devi. Breaking records, setting up new ones, and making history are defining moments that inspire generations. And when you do that in a sport that is hardly mainstream you leave an indelible mark in its history.
Through her hard work, determination, and groundbreaking achievements, Bhavani Devi has become a trailblazer and a symbol of excellence in the world of fencing. From being the first Indian fencer to qualify for the Olympics to winning a historic medal at the Asian Championships, Bhavani Devi's rise has captivated the nation and put Indian fencing on the global map.
Becoming the first Indian fencer to qualify for the Olympics
On March 14, 2021, Bhavani Devi etched her name in the annals of Indian sports history by becoming the first Indian fencer to qualify for the Olympics. The 27-year-old sabre fencer secured her Olympic spot through the Adjusted Official Ranking (AOR) method. Ranking 45th in the world, Bhavani occupied one of the two available slots for the Asia & Oceania region based on the world rankings.
Her qualification was a testament to years of dedicated training, perseverance, and relentless pursuit of excellence.
In Tokyo she began her Olympic journey with a resounding 15-3 victory over Ben Azizi N. However, in the next round, she went up against then world No.3, M. Brunet of France, and lost 7-15.
Nonetheless, she is a woman of many firsts. In 2014, she made history as the first Indian to secure a silver medal at the Asian Championship U23 category held in the Philippines. This significant milestone showcased her talent and potential at a young age.
Continuing to shatter barriers, once again in 2019, at the senior Commonwealth Fencing Championship in Canberra, she became the first Indian fencer to claim a gold medal in the sabre event.
Winning gold in Commonwealth Fencing Championships 2022
Soon after returning from Tokyo, she shifted base to France and started training under Christian Bauer.
“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.
Going into the Commonwealth Fencing Championships, there were expectations of a podium finish from Bhavani Devi. However, she was not having a great time on the court as she had earlier finished 23rd in the Fencing World Cup in Istanbul and was ousted in the second round of the World Championship in Cairo.
However, in the Commonwealth Games, she was back in her mettle. In the final, she locked horns against second-seeded Australian fencer Veronika Vasileva. And living up to the reputation of being the top seed she beat her 15-10 in London to successfully defend her title.
"It is a huge feeling to defend my title. It was a tough final and I am glad I could add another gold medal for India this year," Bhavani Devi said.
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Making History at the Asian Championships
Bhavani Devi's journey of success continued at the Asian Fencing Championships held in Wuxi, China. On Monday, she scripted history by becoming the first Indian fencer to win a medal at the prestigious event. In the quarterfinal, Bhavani Devi stunned reigning world champion Misaki Emura of Japan with a remarkable 15-10 victory. It was her first victory over her Japanese counterpart in four meetings.
It was a hard-fought win as Emura produced a stunning comeback from being 2-8 down to make it 10-10.
“In fencing anything can happen. When it became 10-10, emotionally I was a little insecure because she covered the lead from 2-8. It was a big comeback for her. But I didn’t want to give up. I tried to go for indirect attacks, counter attacks. It worked as I got five points in a row," she told Indian Express.
She could have finished either with silver or even gold if only she had an ounce of luck in the semifinal. After an intense battle, she suffered a heartbreaking defeat by just one point to eventual winner Uzbekistan’s world No. 79 Zaynab Dayibekova.
“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," she added.
With new-found confidence, Bhavani Devi marches on to scale greater heights! All eyes are on Paris 2024.