Paul Davis Fencing Academy

17/06/2026

Massive news as Maya gets her first Senior World Championships Selection

We are super proud of Maya and our whole Academy community love celebrating with her, her family, coaches and teammates

This caps off an incredible season for Maya who started the year becoming U20 Junior British Champion, selected for Junior European and World Championships, U23 European Championships, Bronze at Senior British Championships and lots more in between.

The World Championships are in Hong Kong this July.

Go Blue! 💙

17/06/2026

🌟 Empowering the Next Generation 🌟

This month, we’ve been proud to provide work experience opportunities for young people looking to gain real insight into the world of sport, coaching, and business.

Work experience is about so much more than observing—it’s about developing confidence, communication skills, professionalism, and discovering future career pathways. From supporting coaching sessions and engaging with schools to learning about the day-to-day running of a busy academy, our students have experienced first-hand what it takes behind the scenes.

At the Academy, we believe in creating opportunities that inspire young people to grow, challenge themselves, and unlock their potential. By supporting the next generation, we’re not only helping develop future coaches, leaders, and professionals—we’re investing in the future of our community.

A huge thank you to all of our volunteers, staff, and mentors who give their time to make these experiences possible. The future is bright. The future is Blue! 💙

Go Blue

17/06/2026

Welcome from Antony. Coach Alex and Hui Xin are making their final preparations for the Individual Women's Sabre at the Senior European Championships starting tomorrow.

We wish Hui Xin and the rest of the GBR team the very best for their event 🇬🇧

Go Blue! 💙

17/06/2026

All eyes are on next weekend as we crown the next Hertfordshire School Fencing Champions at the Combat Centre. 1,000 people will come through our door for the final event of academic year.

WE ARE EXCITED!

https://www.instagram.com/p/DZsJQLNDHsK/?igsh=c2NsOTd0cGs2dzdh

12/06/2026

09/06/2026

Welcome to the Academy, Ozkan

We are delighted to announce that Ozkan Zorlu Yildirim will be joining the Paul Davis Fencing Academy coaching team this September.

Ozkan brings a wealth of international experience to the Academy, having represented Turkey for six years as a member of the Turkish National Fencing Team. During his competitive career, he competed at the highest levels of the sport across Cadet, Junior, and Senior categories, including appearances at World Cups, European Championships, and the U23 European Championships.

With 16 years of experience in fencing and a coaching career that began in 2020, Ozkan has dedicated himself to helping athletes develop both on and off the piste. Alongside his practical experience, he is a graduate of the Coaching Education Department within the Faculty of Sports Sciences at Lokman Hekim University.

Ozkan's passion for athlete development, combined with his international perspective and competitive experience, will be a fantastic addition to our coaching team and Academy pathway. His arrival further strengthens our commitment to providing world-class opportunities and support for athletes at every stage of their journey.

We are excited to welcome Ozkan to Hertfordshire and look forward to seeing the positive impact he will have on our athletes, coaches, and wider Academy community.

Please join us in giving Ozkan a very warm Academy welcome.

Go Blue! 💙

09/06/2026

Welcome Coach Niki Dinev!

We are delighted to welcome Niki Dinev to Paul Davis Fencing Academy coaching team.

Niki brings with him nearly two decades of international coaching experience across some of the world's leading sabre programmes. His coaching journey began in Bulgaria, where he worked with Svechnikov Fencing Club and the Bulgarian National Team from 2008 to 2016, helping develop athletes within one of Europe's most respected sabre systems. During this period, he also served as an Assistant National Sabre Coach for Bulgaria and contributed to the development of athletes competing at the highest international levels.

In 2017, Niki moved to the United Kingdom to join Truro Fencing Club, where he spent six years helping establish one of the country's strongest sabre programmes. Alongside his club responsibilities, he worked as a coach within the British Fencing Athlete Development Programme (ADP), supporting the progression of talented young athletes on the national pathway. Throughout his time in the UK, Niki was recognised for his technical expertise, professionalism, and ability to develop fencers from beginner level through to international competition.

Most recently, Niki has spent the last three years at Premier Fencing Academy in Sacramento, California, where he has continued to build high-performance sabre athletes while contributing to one of the leading fencing academies in the United States.

As both a former international sabre athlete and highly experienced coach, Niki combines deep technical knowledge with a strong understanding of athlete development. His experience across Bulgarian, British and American fencing systems provides a unique perspective that will further strengthen the Academy's commitment to delivering world-class coaching and creating opportunities for athletes at every stage of their journey.

Niki joins the Academy at an exciting time as we continue to expand our national and international programmes, develop our coaching team, and support athletes pursuing success at regional, national and international level.

Please join us in giving Niki a very warm Academy welcome.

Go Blue! 💙

06/06/2026

We are always in a party mood when the venue is this good!

05/06/2026

We are super excited here at the Academy that TWO major new additions will be joining our Academy coaching team over the summer, getting us ready for the 2026-27 season and beyond. Between these new coaches, they bring two decades of experience at the highest levels of sabre fencing. They will bring More Expertise, More Opportunities and More Support for our growing squads.

Go Blue! 💙

04/06/2026

We are all talking about it. Big news dropping as the Academy continues to grow 👀