Singapore fencer Amita Berthier not going to Paris Olympics to make up the numbers
Under the tutelage of esteemed coach Oleg Matseichuk, Amita Berthier aims to hone her killer instinct in the lead-up to the Games in July.
Amita Berthier will compete at her second Olympic Games in July. (Photo: CNA/Matthew Mohan)
SINGAPORE: Ask Singapore fencer Amita Berthier about killer instinct, and the 23-year-old might bring up the time her coach Oleg Matseichuk made her watch a video of two animals fighting.
In the YouTube clip, a mongoose fends off the attack of a venomous cobra, with the furry mammal eventually emerging victorious.
“He (Matseichuk) was like: ‘I want you to be be like this,” Berthier told CNA on the sidelines of a media event on Thursday (Apr 4). “I'm training myself every day to understand how to be a cold-blooded killer.”
Matseichuk joined Fencing Singapore last November as the national team's foil head coach and was previously head coach of the Japan national fencing team from 2003 to 2021.
Among the highlights of the Ukrainian's long stint in Japan include leading Yuki Ota to the men's individual foil silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the men’s foil team to silver at the 2012 London Olympics.
“Once a bear or a lion attacks, there is the taste of blood, they like it,” Matseichuk told CNA. “She doesn’t have that feeling yet. That feeling and mood of a predator and killer.”
While Matseichuk believes that Berthier has the ability and quality, what she needs is the “confidence of a winner” as she prepares for the Paris Olympics in July.
“I make people bigger than they are, and not realise my potential, how good that I can be. I think once I get that killer mentality, (being) out for blood, I really can achieve even greater things than I have right now," said Berthier, a three-time SEA Games gold medallist.
"Having coach Oleg as my coach, he tends to remind me not to have my expectations so low and he’s very wise. He helped me believe in myself because sometimes, I don’t give myself enough credit or I doubt my abilities."
WITH ACHIEVEMENTS COME SACRIFICES
Berthier has a busy few months on the horizon ahead of this year’s Olympics.
On her calendar are three World Cups and the Asian Championships where good performances will help Berthier improve her world ranking and seeding in the women's foil event at the Olympics. She is currently ranked world number 28.
On Thursday, Berthier told reporters that qualification for Paris was never the end goal.
“I went into the last one as a participant … first Olympics, nobody had ever qualified for Singapore. So it was a huge achievement for me,” she said.
“Now I'm grateful that I've qualified but that was not my goal, that was kind of the expectation which I set for myself … I want to go there as a contender instead of as a participant.”
Berthier secured her spot in Paris after finishing joint 20th in the women's foil event at the International Fencing Federation (FIE) Grand Prix in Washington last month.
Based on the current qualification process, fencers from the world's top four teams qualify directly for the Olympics. Fencers from the highest-ranking remaining team in each of FIE's four zones – Europe, Asia-Oceania, America and Africa – also qualify.
Thereafter, the top individual fencers of the four zones who have not made the cut through the team category qualify for the Games. Berthier qualified under this category.
The Tokyo Olympics in 2021 was a big learning experience for Singapore’s top fencer, and it has kept her wanting more.
“I've grown from the last Olympics mentally and just grown up in general,” she said.
“I left with a really good experience of being in the Olympics but not satisfied at all with my results knowing that I deserve to do better, I can be on that level.”
"GOT TO PUT THAT RESPECT ASIDE"
Berthier was eliminated in the round of 32 after a 15-4 loss to Lee Kiefer. The American, currently ranked world number 1, eventually went on to win the Olympic gold medal in the women's foil.
“Maybe I went in with too much respect for her,” said Berthier, who is friends with Kiefer and used to share the same coach.
“I respect her obviously off the strip but I think on the strip, it doesn't matter if you're world ranked number one or you are friends, you’ve just got to put that respect aside and give your best.”
Like so many athletes past and present, Berthier knows the journey to greatness is paved with sacrifices.
Over the next three months, she will stay and train at the Singapore Sports School alongside Matseichuk.
“Coach Oleg really took every single detail into account … My well-being, the transport, food, not having to worry about anything, just focusing on training,” said Berthier.
But given that she has been away from home for a number of years, Berthier, who graduated from the University of Notre Dame last year, admits it will not be easy.
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“It definitely was a bit challenging knowing that I've not been home for so long, so many years, and I know I can't really be home,” she said.
“But he (Matseichuk) did tell me: ‘You’re not in jail.’ I can go back (home) when I want … Every great achievement has some sacrifices along the way. I'm not one that's new to sacrifice."
Berthier will take comfort in knowing her family, including her grandparents who are based in France, will be in attendance at the Paris Games.
This was not the case in Tokyo, where no spectators were allowed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"I know that if I'm just relaxed and focused, I'm going to be able to bring good results so that’s what I’m aiming for," she said.
