“Para fencing became my anchor, helping me come to terms with my disability while pushing my limits. The sport’s mix of strategy, precision, and agility challenges me, but it also empowers me. More than just competition, it’s about growth, resilience, and finding ways to push past obstacles – both on and off the piste.”
Sam Blade – Sabre & Epee – Sydney Academy of Fencing – Para Fencer
Sam on drills at Sydney Academy of Fencing. Photo: Fencing Sport Photography
Contributor: Sam Blade (Sabre & Epee – Sydney Academy of Fencing – Para Fencer)
Author / Photographer: Ed Chiu
Date: July 2025
I met Sam in 2023 when I was up in Sydney competing / shooting at the Gilt Open & Vet Comp at Fencing NSW, tucked inside a room at former state centre was Sydney Academy of Fencing where they set up the wheelchair fencing training studio, that’s where I met several wheelchair fencers – Sam Blade, Mel Boon and Penny Elliot.
Half a year later I went back to Sydney to photograph a wheelchair fencing training session led by fencing coach Alex Andre at the Academy. This time, it was just Penny and Sam, a small group but ideal for this shoot because I got to witness the close interaction between two fencers and the coach for the whole session from warmup, drills to bouts. With just 7 weeks away, they were preparing for their first international event at the Wheelchair Fencing 2024 Asian Championship in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.
Over the period of time Sam and I have been chatting about his progress, sometimes about life and other times about his hobbies and I found out that we have something in common – we both have the desire to manifest something, work on a project or two but definitely make something useful with our time. As I got further into the conversation, I wondered if our common traits have something to do with his disability and my genetic deficiencies – finding our purposes.
In this conversation with Sam, we exchanged our personal stories to conquer this thing called Life. Your mind sets change with growth, sometimes it can be a challenge but if there’s a will there is a way.
Sam and Penny were watching wheelchair fencing with coach Alex Andre
Ed: Hello Sam, thank you for taking time out to contribute to Touchpoint, I am interested to know about your journey as a para fencer and how it has shaped you as a person. Firstly, how did you get into wheelchair fencing, I think perhaps tell me a bit about your background.
Sam with kettlebell exercise at Sydney Academy of Fencing. Photo: Fencing Sport Photography
Sam: My journey into wheelchair fencing isn’t spectacular — it’s actually quite personal. I was diagnosed with Friedreich’s Ataxia (FA) at 15, and it flipped my world. At that age, you’re dreaming about freedom, movement, independence, and suddenly all of that felt uncertain. It took years to process, and even now, FA’s ever-changing nature means I’m constantly adapting. Just when I find my footing, something shifts again.
A few years after my diagnosis, my family was desperate to pull me out of the rut I’d fallen into. I was struggling, stuck in depression, and they pretty much threw me into fencing. And weirdly enough, it clicked. Turns out, hitting someone with a sword is a pretty great way to let your anger out.
Para fencing became an anchor in all that chaos. It gave me something solid — something that made me feel strong, focused, and connected to my body again. It reignited a fire I thought I’d lost. Beyond the sport itself, it’s given me community, purpose, and a chance to be seen for more than my condition.
Fencing has taught me that strength isn’t just physical. It’s in resilience, in vulnerability, and in choosing to keep showing up.
Sam training in Sydney Academy of Fencing. Photo: Mike Berry
Ed: Thanks for sharing the personal struggle at a young age but I think you have taken the leap from hopelessness to a courageous path, but like you said at 15 although still quite young, we already have an idea as to what we like to do as an adolescent towards adulthood.
I just briefly read up online, so the illness is a progression as you develop, so that can be challenging going into the unknown. I say this from personal experience because I was diagnosed with Kleinfelters Syndrome in my late 20s, which is already quite late because most people find out in their early teens so they have time to adjust and learn their way of living, changes and combat any mental health issues is a huge factor for many because we are dealing with inadequacy, deficiency and facing the unknown at the same timeline.
Without going into too much detail I was faced with a lot of challenges because my career as a professional photographer was taking off. I have just moved from Melbourne to Sydney so I dealt with it solo. Over the years because it seems like there is this obstacle and what if I don’t do certain things – what will the future hold? But as you know as a para fencer and I think for other fencers too, you just need to go for it.
Do you remember how ‘fencing’ came into the conversation, how did your parents know or have you always loved blades? Since fencing is such a niche sport and I would say at that time when you started it, was it rare? Did you consider other sports at the time? I believe wheelchair sports have developed over the years for a few major sports ie Basketball, Marathon and Tennis.
(L) Mel Boon, (Centre) Penny Elliot, (R) Sam Blade stretching before coach Alex Andre arrives for training. Photo: FSP
SAM Thanks for sharing that with me. I really appreciate it. It’s powerful to hear about your experience with Kleinfelter’s and how it shaped both your career and personal life. I completely understand what you mean about navigating the unknown while everything else keeps moving. The pressure of those “what ifs” can be intense, especially when we’re trying to prove ourselves in a world that can often overlook/discourage difference.
Penny vs Sam training at Sydney Academy of Fencing. Photo: Fencing Sport Photography
Sam continues: Fencing came into my life pretty unexpectedly. My family was searching for something—anything—that might light a spark in me again. I was so disconnected from myself at the time that I didn’t really care what it was. A family friend mentioned fencing, and my dad jumped on the idea. I think he liked the thought of me doing something intense and a bit outside the box. Honestly, I think he hoped I’d find some confidence in it.
I’d never picked up a blade or even considered fencing before then. It always seemed like one of those mysterious sports you’d see in Olympic highlights or fantasy films. But once I gave it a go, I realised it wasn’t just about swords. It was about strategy, movement, mindset, and learning how to take up space in a way I hadn’t felt able to before. Para fencing wasn’t mainstream when I started—and to be honest, it still isn’t. It’s very grassroots here in Australia. But we’re making progress, and I’m glad I didn’t end up in one of the more common sports. This one gave me exactly what I didn’t know I was looking for.
ED: Yeh, if I was to revise everything that happened with my growth then it all makes sense but it’s not wise to compare a manual of symptoms and try to make sense of the past, otherwise I would never make progress and move forward. The mould is set, it’s what I can do with what I have.
I think my personal coping mechanism is pretty strong; I don’t let it be a hurdle. But I mean when you still have a sense of hope you just got to hold onto it and carry on. I think you can agree, we just get through it in whatever way possible. I have met fencers who came into fencing with health conditions, such as Benita from NSW who has MS. As for me, the deterioration of my bone density scan from 2020 led me into fencing, just that it took me two years to take action. Better late than never! I never took my gym or fitness seriously but now I have a great personal trainer at Revolution Performance Training, I have only missed one session in the last 8 months and that’s a huge progress in compared to my long history of skipping gym last 20 years.
Sam training in Sydney Academy of Fencing. Photo: Mike Berry
Sam with battling ropes for strength and conditioning at Academy
TRAINING
Ed: What is a typical day for you for training?
Sam:
A typical training day involves warmups. I like to stretch with music, otherwise the silence sends me down a rabbit hole thinking about everything I need to do outside of fencing. Then it’s drills with my coach and fencing bouts with the para team or able-bodied fencers. I try to stay focused and keep a learning mindset. Finding that headspace helps me show up again the next day.
I never expected to end up competing overseas when I first tried fencing. It started as a way to move and stay active, and just slowly grew from there.
Sam competing at the 2024 Wheelchair Fencing World Cup. Photo : Alex Andre
COMPETING
Ed: As you progress throughout your comps, what are some of the ways you have learned that help you cope with being defeated?
Sam: I never expected to end up competing overseas when I first tried fencing. It started as a way to move and stay active, and just slowly grew from there. Competing internationally in Europe and Asia has been incredible. It’s not just about the sport, but also the people I’ve met and the perspectives I’ve gained.
HANDLING DEFEAT
Sam: Losing sucks, no way around it. Sometimes I need space, sometimes I vent, and sometimes I just remind myself why I started. At the end of the day, the loss doesn’t define you. It’s how you learn from it and come back.
From Sam’s vision as a photographer. Photo: Sam Blade
STAYING OCCUPIED
Ed: I remember you told me that you always need to be occupied, you need to always be doing something. I can resonate with that because I am constantly thinking, creating and manifesting. What are some of the things that are frequently on your calendar? My overseas holiday is never fully holiday, I don’t lay around the lawn or the pool like most people, for me that feels stressful and uneasy.
Sam: I get incredibly restless. If I don’t have something to work on, I spiral a bit. I keep a notebook where I write everything down — small goals, training notes, video ideas, planning, social things. Just anything to work towards.
Sam “This was me attending my first SWANA event in Sydney with the amazing DJ Saliah. Thanks to this event, I was introduced to local SWANA DJs and community organisations in Eora
OTHER SPORTS
Ed: Were you involved in any sport prior to taking up fencing?
Sam: I wasn’t that into sports as a kid. I played a bit of AFL at school but that was about it. Last year I got into rowing, which I really enjoyed. But with life commitments and limited public transport, I haven’t been able to stick with it. Maybe once I get my driver’s licence, I’ll have that space to myself again.
Ed: Fencing is the first sport that I have taken seriously either as a participant or getting involved in a community, but as an adult it is probably easier too, because I am doing it at my own free will and for a health purpose.
At the Italian Training Camp and the CONI that Sam went to a week before the world cup in Pisa. Photo: Alex Andre
2024 Wheelchair Fencing Asian Championships in Nakon Ratchasima Thailand. Photo: Wheelchair Fencing
HOBBIES
Ed: Do you have other hobbies?
Sam: Photography has been a creative outlet for me. It helps me see the world differently and slow things down. I’d be happy to share a few shots.
I also garden and grow my own food. It’s a way of going back to my roots — my forebears were rice farmers from Gilan, Iran. These days I grow chilli, passionfruit, and some dwarf fruit trees. Lately I’ve also gotten really into South West Asia and North Africa (SWANA) music and events. That sound is a big part of who I am and where I come from, and I’m excited to see where it might take me personally, creatively, and maybe even professionally.
Ed: You can use your knowledge with your roots and review films and art based on what you know. I think people would be interested to have better understanding of diverse culture that are not often discussed in Australian society and then you can dig even further and maybe explore disability in your culture. That’s how a lot of documentary filmmakers and photographer find their subject matter.
Sam “This was taken in Kelardasht, Iran. The closest I’ve been to my families origins – unfortunately, i didn’t get to go to Gilan while last in Iran. I hope to be able to return one day to my grandmother’s village”. Photo: Sam Blade
ON DISABILITY
Ed: In 2025, how do people living with disability should be treated?
SAM: Just like anyone else — with respect, autonomy, and without assumptions. Accessibility and representation should be the norm, not something extra. Not everyone wants to be a spokesperson. Personally, I just want to live without having to constantly prove my worth to fit into society.
ED: How has disability changed in the welfare in the community over the years since you grew up?
SAM: I didn’t have the life I have today when I was younger, so it’s hard for me to say — I was a different person. But I do see that there’s more visibility and conversation around disability.
2024 wheelchair fencing Asian Championships in Thailand. Sam and a member of Team Iraq were chatting with Google translate. Photo: Wheelchair Fencing
If you want to take up wheelchair fencing, please find out more at the link below:
Sydney Para Fencing located at Alexandria NSW