SEA Games 2025: Fencers open with perfect three-gold sweep

Fencing competition at the 33rd SEA Games opened on Dec 16, with Team Singapore's fencers taking three golds out of as many events contested on Tuesday. Photo: SNOC/ Kelly Wong

Team Singapore fencers started their campaign at the 33rd SEA Games with a flawless opening day, taking three out of as many events contested on Dec 16. 

Raphael Tan got things rolling when he clinched the men’s individual foil title, beating home favourite Notethakod Wangpaisit of Thailand 15-11. 

The women’s epee event was a guaranteed one-two for Singapore in a battle of two past champions, with Elle Koh completing a three-peat when she beat teammate Kiria Tikanah Abdul Rahman 9-8. 

Juliet Heng then followed with gold in the women’s sabre individual final, defeating Tonkhaw Phokaew of Thailand in a keen contest to win 15-14. 

Juliet Heng (right) admitted she was frustrated with her showing in the pool stage, but put that behind her in the elimination rounds. Photo: SNOC/ Kelly Wong

As the last Singaporean to take the piste on the day, Heng admitted she was feeling some extra pressure. 

She said: “I was thinking, hey, if I don't win, it's not going to be Majulah (Singapura) for my part. But then I made it, so just really grateful to be here.” 

To take on the elimination rounds, Heng had to put aside the frustration of sub-par performances in the poule stage. 

“Today started out so bad,” she said. “I was so fed up with my poules results.” 

She also had to steel herself when she was 12-14 down in the final, one point from a painful loss. 

She said: “Towards the end, I told myself, I’m cooked. But I just focused on telling myself that I'm strong, and strength is patience. I just told myself to enjoy it, have fun, trust the work that I’ve done. It brought me here.”

In the women’s epee, Elle Koh followed up on her victories at the 2022 and 2023 Games to make it three in a row. 

Elle Koh (left) in action against teammate Kiria Tikanah Abdul Rahim in the all-Singapore  women's epee individual final. Photo: SNOC/ Kelly Wong

She said: “It’s quite unbelievable. Of course, I hoped for this, but it’s still really surreal, and I can't believe it.

“The pivotal moment today was more my semi-final with the Vietnamese (Nguyen Phuong Kim), because I have a history with her as well. So that was a very pivotal and important bout to me.” 

Koh, now 18, says she has grown as an athlete since her first SEA Games win as a 14-year-old debutante in Hanoi. 

She said: “I have more experience, and I’m more aware. Back then, I was young, and I felt like I had nothing to lose. But now that I'm older, it feels like there's something to lose, and that’s a mentality I need to change.” 

Foil fencer Tan enjoyed a dream debut in his bout, recovering from an early deficit in his final against Wangpaisit to seal the men’s individual title. 

SEA Games debutant Raphael Tan found an edge over a Thai opponent who enjoyed partisan support from the crowd, taking gold in the men's foil event. Photo: SNOC/ Kelly Wong

His road to the final included a win over teammate Jonathan Lim in the semi-final. Lim takes a bronze medal. 

He said: “(I was) going to pressure him more into attacking, because he was very comfortable in defence. So by taking him out of his comfort zone and then exploiting his weakness, I managed to take over. Of course, at the point when the scores were close, nerves did get a little bit to me, but I had the unwavering confidence in myself that I was going to take over.” 

Fencing competition continues on Dec 16 with the women’s foil, men’s epee and men’s sabre individual events. 

The 33rd SEA Games are held in Thailand from 9 to 20 December 2025. For the latest Team Singapore coverage and news, follow Team Singapore on their social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok) or visit the official Team Singapore website.