Singapore fencer Juliet Heng clinches historic silver at Asian Fencing Championships

SINGAPORE: Singapore fencer Juliet Heng registered Singapore's best-ever finish at any edition of the Asian Fencing Championships on Wednesday (Jun 18) after she clinched a silver in the women's sabre event in Bali, Indonesia.

While world number 93 Heng fell 7-15 to Japan's world number two and defending champion Misaki Emura in the final, she had been on a remarkable run to book her spot there.

The 20-year-old saw off compatriot Jermaine Tan and then Kazakhstan's Tatyana Prikhodko, before stunning Japan's world number 26 Seri Ozaki 15-8.

Heng then edged out Uzbekistan's world number 18 Zaynab Dayibekova 15-14 in the quarter finals and became the first Singaporean fencer to make the finals of an Asian Championships event by beating South Korea's world ranked 20 Kim Jeongmi in the semi-final.

Prior to Heng's silver, Singapore's best showing had come courtesy of two-time Olympian Amita Berthier, who picked up a women's foil bronze at the 2023 edition of the event in Wuxi, China.

Singapore had previously also clinched joint bronze in the women's foil team event at the 2022 edition courtesy of Berthier, Maxine Wong, Denyse Chan and Cheung Kemei.

Heng, who represented Singapore at the Hangzhou Asian Games two years ago, is also the defending SEA Games women's sabre champion.