National women's foil team training in Shenzhen

Video and photos by Liu Xudong

Nine members of China's national women's foil team began their first training session at Shenyun Culture and Sports Park Tuesday, kicking off a several-month training camp in Shenzhen.

The team recently competed in the FIE (Fencing Federation of Hong Kong, China) Women's Foil World Cup, held from Jan. 9 to 11 in Hong Kong, and is now preparing for a series of upcoming national and international competitions.

Members of China's national women's foil team practice jump-rope workouts at Shenyun Culture and Sports Park on Tuesday. 

Under their coaches' guidance, the athletes engaged in physical exercises, including jogging, jump-rope workouts, and practiced fencing-specific drills.

"Shenzhen's climate is mild, making it very suitable for our winter training. It also allows us to conduct outdoor sessions," said Lei Sheng, head coach of the national team and a former national athlete who won gold in the men's foil event at the 2012 London Olympics.

Lei Sheng, head coach of China's national women's foil team, at an interview with journalists. 

"Our goal is to maintain a position within the world's top eight and steadily improve our ranking," Lei said. Noting Shenzhen’s strength in technology, he expected to leverage data analysis to improve the athletes' performance.

After the 15th National Games, the team took a short break and has now resumed training to prepare for international competitions, including the Asian Games.

Team members engage in physical exercises. 

Most of the nine team members are young athletes born after 2005.

"I hope they can grow quickly and gain solid experience here," said Lei. "It takes at least two Olympic cycles to become mature foil fencers. Their passion and pursuit of excellence drive them to overcome challenges and persevere."

A team member practices jogging.

Shenyun Culture and Sports Park features 12 outdoor tennis courts, one indoor tennis court, one tennis training court, 11 badminton courts, two squash courts, one fencing hall, one table tennis hall, three soccer fields, and one billiards room.

According to Wang Zenglin, the park's manager, the venue is well-suited for professional team training, offering not only specialized sports facilities but also nearby amenities such as canteens, apartments, and parking.

The park previously hosted training sessions and competitions for teams including the Guangdong provincial tennis team and the Hebei provincial team.

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