Terence Lee, who is set to study at one of the top athletic schools in the US, open up about secret to success and his unusual routine before every game
Terence lee (left) says he is short for a fencer, but that hasn't held him back from making huge strides in the game. Hong Kong sabre fencing star Terence Lee has never been someone to let his small stature hold him back.
“I’m very short for a fencer, so there has always been uncertainty about how far I can progress in the sport,” said the Harrow International School Hong Kong student. “But I’ve never let that stop me or hold me back.” It’s true that the 17-year-old has had a remarkable career so far, having won the Asian U17 Sabre Championship last year, individually and for the Hong Kong team.
“It was my first time serving as the team anchor,” he recalled. “I was the last one to fence, and I pulled us back from losing 34-40 to winning 45-43. That was the proudest moment of my career.”
HK teenage fencer Kaylin Hsieh crowned world junior fencing champion in Verona
Now, Terence is the one of the top sabre fencers in Hong Kong and one of the leading U20 players in the world. This led to him being offered an athletic scholarship to Duke University – one of the top athletic and academic schools in the US. “The training will be rigorous – I will have to train basically every day,” he said. “I will also be in a new environment with a German coach who was an Olympian athlete.”
Terence said he hopes to become an Olympian himself, and he is looking forward taking his game to the next level and leading his school to the National Collegiate Athletic Association championships – the highest prize in American collegiate sports.
Terence, who fences for the Hong Kong national team, has been in love with the sport since he started at 10 years old. “I love it because it’s very tactical, not repetitive like running or swimming,” he said. “Each point involves a different variation, and it is very unpredictable.”
Hong Kong fencing starlet wins Junior World Fencing Championship
Terence has some interesting pre-match practices which he believes has helped him with his success. “I always wear the same clothes under my fencing gear, and I always try to sleep for nine and a half hours the night before a match,” he said. “Also, I always eat bananas and energy bars before a match.”
He said he is very happy to be part of the Hong Kong youth fencing movement, and is very happy with the state of fencing in the city.
“Hong Kong now has several fencers in the top 10 in the world at senior level,” he explained. In fact, Hong Kong is looking to become one of the premier fencing nations in the world.
Meet three HK fencers who have qualified for the 2018 Youth Olympic Games
“More people are taking part in fencing, and competition venues are getting more crowded,” said Terence, adding, “Results are getting better, especially in foil and épée.”
His advice to young fencers is, surprisingly, to “take it easy”.
“Don’t always try to push yourself to improve,” he said. “You can’t force yourself to be a good fencer. You’ll end up putting too much pressure on yourself, which will negatively affect your performance. Improvements come naturally, and fencing ability comes without forcing.”
Terence is currently looking forward to the Asian Games in August, where he hopes to win multiple gold medals for Hong Kong.