The Making of a Sports Genius

There was a time when games like fencing and boxing were considered a male preserve. There was a strong belief that women’s bodies were too frail for boxing.

- Moin Qazi

The decision to grant recognition to boxing at Olympic events inspired many enthusiastic girls to make a foray into a sport that previously discouraged combat sports as a career. A major credit for promoting modern sports is the initiative of internationally modelled schools, which have transformed the sports landscape.

Fencing is a combat sport that features sword fighting. The three disciplines of modern fencing are the foil, the épée and the sabre; each discipline uses a different blade, which shares the same name and employs its own rules. Most competitive fencers specialize in one discipline.

A frail-looking girl from Nagpur who has defied the age-old myth that girls can’t be successful sportspersons is Juveria Ali. It is a rare coincidence that a girl from a conservative community has overcome compelling odds to emerge on the combative landscape as a bright comet. In February 2023, the youngster bagged a silver medal at the Maharashtra State Level Fencing Competition in Bhandara.