Hi, my name is Solu Ngoka, and I’m a 15-year-old British epee fencer training at Salle Paul Fencing Club in Hendon, London. I have been selected as part of a team of 4 to represent Great Britain at the European Championships in Tbilisi.

I began fencing in 2021, just after COVID, as a way to stay active and have fun after watching my sister try it out. What started as a light-hearted attempt to wear a mask and keep my distance quickly became something much more. I fell in love with the sport’s tactics, mental challenge, and intensity.

From my very first training session, my coaches encouraged me to push myself, compete regularly, and aim high. With the support of my coaches and family, and through a lot of hard work and dedication, I’ve progressed rapidly through the rankings and now compete at a high level both nationally and internationally.

Alongside fencing, I’m currently studying for my GCSEs, which means balancing intense training, competitions, travel, and schoolwork. It’s challenging, but fencing has taught me discipline, time management, and resilience — skills that help me both on and off the piste.

In my free time, I’ve become a qualified fencing referee. On weekends when I’m not competing or revising, I referee at competitions to help raise money towards my fencing costs while also giving back to the sport. When I’m not training, revising, or refereeing, I also assist with coaching younger fencers at my club, helping support their development while gaining valuable experience myself.

In the 2022/23 season, my first competitive season, I was selected to represent England at my first Under-14 international competition in Osijek, Croatia. After a season of consistent training and competition, this selection felt like a reward for the hard work I had put in and showed that I was progressing in the right direction.

This year, I am currently ranked No. 2 in Great Britain and have been selected to represent GBR at the European Championships in Tbilisi. Every international competition gives me experience that I simply can’t gain anywhere else.

So far, my fencing highlights have been:

At this stage, fencing in Great Britain is largely self-funded, and the costs quickly add up. Your support will help cover flights, accommodation during competitions, entry fees, coaching support, and equipment costs.

My main focus this season is the European Championships and the Commonwealth Championships. My ultimate dream is to compete at the World Championships in Brazil, although the costs and my upcoming GCSEs mean this may remain a goal for the future.

Any money raised will go directly towards supporting my upcoming competitions and continued development. Even a small donation can make a huge difference, helping me stay on the international circuit and continue earning valuable experience and ranking points.

If you’re unable to donate, sharing my story or this page on social media would mean just as much and helps spread the word.

If you want to follow my journey you can follow. my Instagram here - @Solufencing

Thank you for your support - Solu