Guernsey teenager, Oakley Francart has placed 10th in Team Great Britain’s Under 20’s ranking lists.
The new ranking means the 17-year-old, who has been fencing since he was nine, will be automatically selected for any UK competitions.
His coaches say it bodes well for next month when he competes in the British Fencing Youth Championships in Sheffield.
The event is the premier youth fencing championship held in the UK and is open to qualifying fencers between the ages of 11 to 18. The event includes all three weapons; Foil, Epee and Sabre, and is held over three days.
“I’m super excited for next month and competing in Sheffield,” said Oakley.
“Guernsey has some really great talent that we should all shout about, but I and many of the other fencers have no real competition to improve our game. I watch videos of others fencers and go to the gym as well as improving my strength and conditioning through Gracie Barra Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, which is popular on the island. But to improve we have to compete and do training camps in the UK and Europe.”
Oakley has been selected for the GB Fencing Athlete Development Programme for the best young fencers. The programme aims to prepare athletes for future world championship and Olympics.
“I like how it’s just you and your opponent going forwards and backwards. It’s not just about the physical, it’s the mental and technique side of things too,” he said.
At home, the youth sabre fencer is also training as a coach for younger fencers.
He volunteers his time to coach younger fencers at the Sarnia Sword Club, where Yan Milner, is a coach.
“Oakley is an outstanding young fencer, to be ranked 10th in Great Britain as a Junior at the age of seventeen is a brilliant achievement,” said Mr Milner.
“Most fencers do not reach their peak until their mid twenties, Oakley is very hard working and committed to the sport and will undoubtedly climb further up the ranks. All of us in Guernsey wish him the best in his fencing career and appreciate him as an example to his young fencing colleagues. He is an asset locally and an Ambassador for Guernsey”.
In 2023 Oakley was ranked 13th in the under-17 cadets for Great Britain and was nominated for a Pride of Guernsey Young Achiever of the Year award.
Oakley’s dad, Robbie Francart said: “He showed both interest and promise at an early age, quickly gaining a national ranking at under 11 and then continuing to progress through his age groups, I’m really proud of him, but progression is difficult because you have so many good athletes but it’s the funding that stops them from getting to where they need to be to reach their potential. We’ve had superb support from the Guernsey Sports Commission, and I hope they continue to see how much fencing talent there is on island. Our target was always was Team GB, and we’ve done that, his targets are now the Europeans and hopefully in the future the Olympics would be the dream.”