Patiala, Feb 13 (IANS) With an eye on securing India’s first-ever fencing medal at the Asian Games, the 24-member Indian senior sabre squad has begun training at a newly inaugurated High-Performance Centre (HPC) at the Sports Authority of India’s Netaji Subhash National Institute of Sports (NSNIS) in Patiala.

Developed at an estimated cost of Rs 22.83 crore, the state-of-the-art facility provides international-standard training infrastructure under one roof. The HPC features a fully functional multipurpose indoor fencing hall equipped with international-standard pistes and electronic scoring systems, allowing athletes to train in a competition-simulated environment. It also integrates sports science support, advanced strength and conditioning facilities, and structured recovery services to optimise athlete performance.

Currently, 12 men and 12 women in the sabre discipline are training at the centre under head coach Sagar Lagu, as preparations intensify for the upcoming Asian Games in Japan.

Praising the new facility, Sagar, who also serves as chief coach of the Fencing Association of India (FAI), told SAI Media, “Multipurpose halls are there at other SAI facilities also, but having an exclusive hall dedicated to fencing with all equipment at one place is something that makes it one-of-a-kind in the entire country. With my experience, I can say it is the best facility in India as of now. This HPC was opened just 20-25 days ago, and we started with a national camp for the Asian Games the moment it was handed over to us. Currently, 12 men and 12 women for sabre discipline are training here for the Asian Games.”

Fencing in India remains in a developmental stage, but has shown consistent improvement on the international circuit. The country is yet to win an Asian Games medal in the sport. The leading name in Indian fencing remains Bhavani Devi, who qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and became the only Indian fencer to win a Senior Asian Championships medal, claiming bronze in the individual event in 2023.

India currently has three fencers ranked in the world’s Top 100: Bhavani Devi (Women’s Sabre – WR 59), Karan Singh (Men’s Sabre – WR 75), and Taniksha Khatri (Women’s Épée – WR 86).

Among the leading contenders is 2022 Commonwealth Fencing Championship bronze medallist KP Gisho Nidhi, a Subedar in the Indian Army, who also won gold in men’s sabre at the 36th Senior National Fencing Championship last year. He is targeting strong performances at the upcoming Men’s Sabre Grand Prix in South Korea (May 1–3, 2026) and the Men’s Sabre World Cup in Egypt (May 22–24, 2026) as part of his Asian Games build-up.

The Tamil Nadu fencer described the Patiala HPC as unmatched in India.

“I have come to NSNIS Patiala for the first time for a national camp. I have been to the Army Sports Institute in Pune and the SAI Aurangabad centre previously. It feels great to be training at this newly-built HPC. All fencers were talking to each other, saying that this facility is of international standard. I have trained at such multipurpose fencing halls in Germany and Hungary, and this looks no less than that. According to my understanding, I don’t think there is an exclusive facility for fencing like this one,” KP Gisho Nidhi said.

Beyond the fencing hall, the HPC includes a dedicated Strength and Conditioning Hall equipped with modern resistance training systems and functional training zones. It also provides multidisciplinary sports science services, including Sports Anthropometry, Exercise Physiology, Biomechanics, and Sports Psychology, aimed at data-driven performance optimisation, injury prevention, and evidence-based rehabilitation.

Sabre fencer Vishal Thapar, bronze medallist at the 2018 Commonwealth Championships in Canberra, believes the facility will transform the sport’s future in India.

“I have been part of fencing since 2006 and must say that the SAI centre has undergone massive changes till now. Having a High-Performance Centre in fencing will make a huge difference. The upcoming athletes will be provided these facilities from the grassroots level, at the start of their careers; this was unimaginable in my time. They will be getting all kinds of guidance and training, including specialised coaches, strength & conditioning, physios, doctors, and recovery systems. This will take Indian fencing to the next level,” said Vishal Thapar.

Junior fencer Sanya from Sangrur district in Punjab highlighted the recovery systems as a standout feature of the centre.

“When I came to NSNIS Patiala for the first time in 2015, there weren’t so many facilities for us fencers; they are far better than even European facilities. One doesn’t find nutrition, accommodation, recovery, and all the international standard equipment under one roof, which we find here at this HPC. We get hydrotherapy for recovery here, which we also get in Europe. An ice bath used to be part of it, but hydrotherapy is its advanced version, which SAI is providing us here. In all, this is the best centre for fencing in the world,” Sanya mentioned.

With world-class infrastructure now in place, Indian fencing hopes the Patiala High-Performance Centre will provide the final push needed to convert promise into podium finishes at the Asian Games 2026.

–IANS

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