TalkMonday 8 July 2013
6:00pm – 7:00pm
Yuki Ota, Silver Medallist at the London Olympics
Drinks reception: 7:00pm – 8:00pm
13/14 Cornwall Terrace, Outer Circle, London, NW1 4QP
Organised by The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation
Multiple Olympic medallist, foil fencer Yuki Ota, gave a talk about his experiences as a sportsman and his role as an ambassador for sport in Japan and internationally. He discussed his experiences of representing his country at the very top level and talk about the thrill of receiving Olympic medals, which Ota managed in two consecutive Summer Olympic Games: Beijing 2008 and London 2012. He spoke about his formative years and how he is now on a mission to introduce fencing to young people in Japan and increase the profile of his sport. He has recently founded an organisation, Super Fencers, to achieve precisely these aims.
You can see Yuki Ota in action at the London 2012 Olympic Games HERE on YouTube.
The video of this talk can also be viewed on YouTube HERE.
About the contributors
Yuki Ota
Yuki Ota is a Japanese foil fencer who was born in 1985 in Shiga Prefecture. He began fencing while he was at junior high school, inspired by his father who was also a fencer. He won the National Junior High School Championships and won three consecutive victories in the National High School Championships. He won the 2008 Asian Fencing Championships held in Bangkok and, at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, he reached the final of the men’s Individual Competition, winning the silver medal. In the same year he achieved second place in the World Fencing League, the highest achievement in Japanese history. He shot to fame in Japan, and in turn, was able to help nurture the next generation of fencers in preparation for the London Olympics 2012. Despite the overwhelming pressure, the team were able to produce the first team event medal for Japan, writing a new chapter in Japanese sporting history. He has since become a spokesperson for the sport of fencing, as well as taking on the role of an ambassador for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic bid. Recently, Ota set up Super Fencers, an organisation dedicated to giving young children an opportunity to experience fencing for the first time, as well as searching out young talent.
Eddy Toshi Ishikawa Wertheim
Eddy Toshi Ishikawa Wertheim has dedicated his life to fencing both as an athlete and as a coach, he both trained and assisted the British and Japanese Olympic team in the run up to the London 2012 Olympic Games as well as facilitating the training and collaboration of the teams. Currently, he is the head coach at ULU (University of London Union ) Fencing Club. He is working closely with Yuki Ota on the promotion and development of fencing.