Anis Sabrina Hj Yahya has already represented Brunei twice at the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games and was the lone fencer - the first Bruneian female - at the World Fencing Championships last year. She moved through the ranks quickly and now took some time off to talk to BruSports News about her journey so far.
Q: Tell us about the lady Anis Sabrina.
A: I’m the youngest of three siblings and the only girl in my family. My brothers are nine and eight years gap from my age. I love exploring nature and having a good cup of coffee.
My life role model is my mom. She fully supports my passion and is one of my main motivations.
Q: How did you get into fencing?
A: I started fencing a bit late. I probably just turned 15 when I first joined the fencing team. My current coach (Rocky Poerawinata) and some of my seniors came to my high school to introduce fencing and to recruit some juniors under the fencing development scheme.
Funny story, I never thought I could ever be a fencer and if it wasn’t for my best friend, who forced me to join, I probably wouldn’t have submitted the registration form.
After passing the TID (Talent Identification) test, we were given a schedule to train several times per week and few months after that, I won my first gold medal at the Athos Open.
I was also awarded the best novice for the competition. It was a good feeling and it made me very competitive so everything else began from there.
Q: Which weapon was the first one that you tried?
A: There are three types of weapons - Sabre, Foil and Epéé - in fencing, which all have different target areas. The grip of the weapon itself, speed, timing and rhythm during the game are all different.
Foil was my first weapon that I trained for four years and switched to Sabre right after the SEA Games in 2017.
Q: How did you know Sabre is the one for you?
A: This is because my coach used to be a Sabre fencer so basically I didn’t have a specific Foil coach back then.
Turns out within less than two years of practising Sabre, I was able to adapt pretty quickly. Sabre is super fast and you need to be extremely focused once you're on the piste. Blink and you might lose a point.
You need to think and decide what you want to do for the next point because if you don’t, then your opponent will beat you easily even if you’re in the lead.
Q: How do you think you got to where you are now?
A: The Federation has given us a lot of support as we had the chance to compete more in 2019 as compared to previous years.
We even have a complete women's Sabre team of four fencers. Despite being together for only a short period of time, we have shown good team spirit and sportsmanship.
They motivate me a lot during training. We all have the same goals, basically we are each other's backbone eventhough fencing is a individual fight. I’m very proud of them.
Q: If not fencing, what do you think you would be doing?
A: I think I would still be involved in sports. For team sports, I probably would choose to be a footballer. My mother and I love watching football matches. She's a huge supporter of the Brunei national football team.
I personally enjoy individual sports better and I've always had interest in wrestling and boxing because I grew up watching WWE with my dad.
It is something I wouldn’t recommend for the younger audience but I do really enjoy it.
There are also plans to continue my studies in sports management if I ever get the chance.
Q: What do you think is the best memory to date for fencing?
A: Being a part of the SEA Games contingent despite it not being an easy journey for me. It definitely took a lot of hard work and commitment.
Another was being the first female Bruneian to compete at the World Fencing Championship in Budapest, Hungary last year.
Those are the best memories I have had so far. Surprisingly my mom was very supportive with my decision but it was the best one ever because I got to learn a lot of valuable game experiences in meeting and talking to amazing Olympians that I only got to watch on YouTube.
It put me on another level for growth in fencing and I hope to share my experience with other fencers and the new generation in Brunei.
I hope to inspire them to work hard and reach for the sky because nothing is impossible if your put your heart to it.
Q: Do you have any idols? What are the best qualities you like about him/her?
A: I have one and that is 29-year-old World No 1 and Olympian Olga Kharlan from Ukraine.
I was really starstruck when I got to meet her. I’m definitely rooting for her in the next OIympics.
She seems like a very intense person on the piste but actually quite a bubbly and fun person to talk to. I adore her fencing style and I think she is one of the most talented athletes.
Olga is super subtle with her footwork, great timing and she adapts with to every situation in her game and she can improvise very quickly.
Other than that, I’m a also a big fan of the Russian, Italian and Hungarian Sabre teams.
Q: What is your biggest target for fencing?
A: Obviously every athlete's dream is to go to the Olympics, but for now I want to be the first female individual SEA Games Medalist for fencing.
Let’s see where i can go from there because I believe that will open up a lot of opportunities to grow fencing in Brunei.
Beside helping in sport development, my goal is to make fencing one of the most recognised sports in this country.
Q: What do you think makes a good fencing athlete?
A: Fencing is a combat sports so it is important to have a lot experience but I know getting exposure for competition is difficult but you need to be tougher.
Be ready for a lot of sacrifices, commitment and hard work to pursue your passion.
Knowing that being an athlete here isn’t a promising career yet is definitely a challenge but you need to stay positive to change that for the new generation to come.
The mindset of a strong fighter is needed to have self discipline because I’ve seen people with great potential that didn’t push through the odds because of certain circumstances and that’s kind of disappointing.
Trust your hard work, believe in your coach and always push yourself to be your best but at the same time know how to have your own definition of fun.
Q: What hobbies do you actually have? What do you spend most of your time doing?
A: I don’t really have any specific hobbies besides teaching fencing. I’m a little bit of a home-body kind of person.
So I like spending time in my own space at home probably playing video games, doing some crafty stuff, cooking or exploring new things i guess.
Q: If there was a song to describe your life, what would it be?
A: Maybe ‘Champion’ by Bishop Briggs. I admit that my taste for music is not the best and my mom complains about it all the time.
Q: Do you have a strict diet that you follow? How important is it?
A: Honestly I don’t have a strict diet yet but i try to eat healthier and stick to whatever nutrients my body needs to recover. I also enjoy making my own meals.
Q: Where do you see yourself in the next five years
A: Insyallah settling with a job that I've dreamed of ever since I was a little girl. But at the same time, I really want to teach fencing to kids as a role model to them.
I think fencing is a really good sport for youth development. It teaches mental strength, good body coordination, fast reflexes and basic fitness.
Exposing kids to a sport in their early age is not only good for their health but teaches values of sportsmanship.
Q: Lastly, what tips can you give to those who wish to pick up the sport?
A: Don’t wait, but it's never too late! Fencing is fun! It might look easy at first glance but once you get into it, it’s really an interesting sport and unexpectedly mentally challenging.
It doesn't matter if you just want to try out fencing or you have bigger goals as a fencer its generally for everybody. It is totally recommended to start as soon as possible.
