Fencer hits the mark
Niagara Falls teen compiles 11-2 record on way to winning Ontario sabre title
Pranav Parakh doesn’t mind sabre-rattling, just as long as he is on the side of the sabre doing the rattling.
On the receiving edge? Not so much.
However, after four years in fencing, the past two spent specializing in sabres for the Brock Fencing Academy, the 14-yearold from Niagara Falls has come to appreciate the sport can be mentally demanding as well as physically draining.
Knowing the upper hand an opponent is trying to achieve with a stinging slash across the wrist or a whack to the side of the head is big part of the learning process.
“You have to keep calm whenever you’re hit hard. You don’t want to lose to your emotions,” said Parakh, who in September will be entering Grade 9 at A.N. Myer Secondary School.
He was able to do just that at Ontario Youth Championships in Markham, where nearly 200 of the best fencers competed to be best in three under 15 categories: foil, sabre and epee.
After going 8-2 in pool play, Parakh was just as dominant in winning three direct-elimination matches on the final day of the tournament.
The final against Noah Jewel of London, Ont., was a rematch against a fencer who beat Parakh in pool play.
Jewel jumped out to an early lead, but history didn’t repeat itself as Parakh came back to score a 15-9 victory and the Ontario championship.
Both fencers knew what to expect heading into the final, and both were looking for weaknesses as they peered through heavy mesh covering their faces.
“You have to be able to analyze your opponent’s moves, while adjusting your own to his style,” the soft-spoken son of Dinesh and Deepali of Niagara Falls said.
“You have to focus on a person’s facial expressions and body language.”
Given the protective material that covers fencers from the bottom of their torsos to the tops of their heads, catching a fleeting glimpse of fear or a split-second sign of apprehension is easier said than done. A lot easier.
“You have to remember, you’re actually looking through two masks — your opponent’s and your own,” Parakh said pointing to the metal that covers the front of his helmet.