Singapore’s fencing Olympians, Amita Berthier and Kiria Tikanah Abdul Rahman, will enter the SEA Games in December not only as medal contenders but also as the most experienced members of a squad that includes 11 debutants. Their results will matter, but both athletes say their focus this year extends beyond the piste.
Berthier Back on Regional Stage
Berthier, 24, returns to the regional competition after missing the past two editions due to her university commitments in the United States. The two-time Olympian, who won individual and team golds in her last SEA Games appearance in 2019, said the upcoming event brings a mix of anticipation and nerves.
“I’m very excited to be back,” she said. “Obviously, I’m a little nervous, but I’m looking forward to being there with my team.”
Her comeback coincides with the arrival of new faces in the women’s foil squad, including 17-year-old Stephanie Lee, who will make her SEA Games debut. Berthier, now the oldest athlete in her weapon, views that shift as a sign of her evolving role in the team.
“As a senior, I’m excited to take her on this journey and do my best to have her look up to something,” she said.
Kiria Focuses on Guiding Debutants
Kiria, 25, is also stepping into a more visible leadership position. The epee fencer, who won bronze in the individual event and gold in the women’s team event at the 2023 Games, said she continues to approach each competition with the same objective of “wanting to win”. But the six-time SEA Games medallist also remembers how disorienting her debut in 2019 felt. This year, she has made it a point to ensure new athletes feel better supported.
“I didn’t know what to do, didn’t know what to expect,” she said. “So I just want to be there for them and guide them and make sure they’re not too overwhelmed with the theatrics of everything because being in a major Games is very different from going to a normal fencing competition overseas.”
For Berthier, the shift from wide-eyed debutant to team captain has also been stark. She recalled starting out as a volunteer at the 2015 SEA Games, “carrying the bags out”, before qualifying in 2017 and going on to win gold.
“Back in the day, I had no expectation going in,” she said. “But as team captain or the oldest in my team, I think my goal is really to make sure that my teammates’ well-being and mental health are the most important. Everybody’s stressed, and we don’t want one person to feel like they have the whole weight of the team bearing on their shoulders.”
BT Development Strengthens Mentorship Mindset
Both athletes say their instinct to protect and guide the younger ones grew naturally after they launched BT Development, a non-profit mentorship initiative started in 2024. The programme, which offers workshops and sharing sessions for young athletes, was born out of conversations the pair had after the Paris Olympics.
“We wanted to do this because we felt like we’ve experienced so much,” Kiria said. “We’ve been in the competitive scene for a very long time, and we have so much to share. We wanted to create an outlet for us to give back to the younger generation. In a sense, be like a big sister to some of the younger generation.”
For Berthier, it was personal.
“I wanted to start this because I wish that I had somebody like a mentor to look up to when I was younger, to give me some advice or some sort of direction,” she said.
Their first workshop saw all 50 slots snapped up within two days. In their second workshop, which featured athletes from other sports, there was even a family who travelled from Malaysia and flew back out soon after.
“For us, that was a huge indicator that hey, people do want help,” Berthier said. “It was just two hours of our time. But for the kids, that’s a memory of a lifetime.”
While BT Development is on pause as the SEA Games approach, the pair plan to resume workshops after the season ends.
A Growing Sport and the Next Wave of Talent
Both fencers believe that strong SEA Games performances will continue to drive interest in fencing.
“I think fencing in Singapore has steadily been growing,” Kiria said. “After each SEA Games, there’s a bigger influx of people who are more interested in fencing. I’m certain that if we manage to get good results in this coming SEA Games, it’s going to be good again for the community in Singapore.”
For Berthier, the impact is already visible. She recalled how Lee once showed her an old newspaper cut-out from Berthier’s own SEA Games debut years ago.
“She literally cut it out, and she has it there,” Berthier said. “So it’s really cool to see that you do actually have an impact and inspire people. And I know for a fact, one day, she’s going to be that person. And so will the other debutants or people who are younger than us.”
As the country’s most seasoned fencers prepare to lead a young squad into another SEA Games cycle, both women say their priority is to help teammates feel prepared, confident, and inspired. Medals remain the aim, but the impact they leave behind may matter just as much, if not more.
