Rafael Rhys Pollitt

Fencing

'I love fencing. It pushes me to work hard both physically and mentally and to keep striving to be better'

Background

Rafael was 14 in February and first tried fencing after watching it at the London Olympics in 2012. He loves the speed of the sport and the need to make ultra-quick decisions while still keeping a cool head.

Training

He trains at least five times a week; four sessions at the Fencers club in London and one at a sparring club where he sparrs with adults. He has to be very organised in order to keep on top of his schoolwork and usually gets his homework done straight after school so that he has time to eat before he goes to his training session in the evening. Rafael's school is extremely supportive and allows him time off if he needs it for competitions, however, he has to plan ahead to make sure he has time to catch up on any work he misses.

Future Goals

Although only just 14 years old, Rafael plans to compete in adult open competitions this year and hopes to be selected for Team GB. He would also like to train and compete more in Europe.