Rachael Lever has been a large part of the University of Nottingham Fencing programme over her time as a sport scholar in the #GreenandGold. Having completed her degree, Rachael decided to continue combining her studies and career with her sport by undertaking a PhD in the Faculty of Science. This decision also presents Rachael with the opportunity to retain her title as BUCS Champion at this years 2024 BUCS Fencing Championships which will take place at BUCS Nationals in Sheffield this weekend. We spoke with Rachael ahead of the tournament to find out more about her, how she's found her time at the University of Nottingham, and her expectations for Nationals.
How did you get into the sport of Fencing?
It was actually my brother who got me into it – he wanted to do either fencing or archery when he was younger and ended up going along to a fencing session. He really enjoyed it and that also made me want to dive into it too, so when a fencing coach came along to my school I started to take it up. However, at first he nearly refused to teach me because I was too small - I’m still small now, but I was a small nine year old!
What was it about the sport that you enjoyed?
I think the mental challenge of the sport is something that I’ve always enjoyed. There are a lot of tactics in fencing, along with some instinct, and I think that makes competing a really intellectual challenge. I also prefer the individuality of fencing – when you are fencing, it’s just you and your opponent so you can really focus on your own abilities and the analytical challenge of working out how to win.
What disciplines do you fence and how would you describe your fencing style?
So I’m an Epeeist at heart! With Epee it’s pretty black and white – if I hit my opponent, then I get the point! Whereas with other disciplines it can be a little more subjective. I have done some foil and sabre when I was younger, but here at the University of Nottingham I’ve been competing in the Epee and Foil. I do enjoy Foil because it’s a different way of thinking, but my main strength is Epee. I think that because I’ve competed in all three disciplines at some point, I’m quite a well-rounded fencer overall.
When did you start to realise you were getting to quite a high level?
I would say that winning the Under-12 British Championships was a big moment for me. I was always seemingly around top-8 finishes in the junior competitions, but to win those championships was when I started to really feel a part of the wider fencing community because I think other fencers then began to notice my skills and congratulate me on my performances.
When was it that you decided to continue your education alongside your sport?
I made the decision pretty early on to be honest. I’ve always been quite academic and had always thought about university. I wasn’t sure exactly what university I wanted to go to initially, but around the time I was looking to make my decision the fencing community was beginning to grow in Nottingham. I had also seen the campus through competitions and training camps that British Fencing host here, and when you combine that with the academic course being excellent here – it was a no brainer. I didn’t really have to consider anywhere else!
What course are you studying?
My undergraduate degree was in Pharmaceutical Sciences, and I chose it because I initially wanted to be a doctor when I was younger – however after watching Holby City I realised I didn’t want to be thrown up on! So, alongside my interest in the history of medicines, that led me towards Pharmaceuticals. I liked the fact that the Pharmaceutical Sciences course at Nottingham really encompassed the whole industry and provided a real gateway into a career. I’m now currently a PhD student on the Transformative Pharmaceutical Technologies doctoral training programme which I was pleasantly surprised to be accepted onto, but I’m really glad I was because looking back on it now I can’t see any other programme being better in the UK than what we have here at the University of Nottingham.
How have you found the challenge of combining your sport and studying at such high levels?
It is really tricky, especially when many other fencers on the circuit are full-time. My heart is with my academics, but it is really difficult because you can get mentally tired from the sport and then have to re-group for academics, but I’ve managed to become more efficient over time. Every year has had its own challenges, but with starting my PhD it’s been quite intense so I decided not to do the senior world cup circuit. It’s been hard to turn down invitations to tournaments across the globe, but ultimately it’s time away from the lab. However, I’m still really enjoying my fencing and I adore BUCS fencing – it’s something that I look forward to every single week.
Why is it that you love competing for the University of Nottingham in BUCS competition?
I think it’s the team aspect. I know that earlier I said that I prefer individuality of fencing over team sports, however the environment that being a part of the fencing club is something that is really fun. The club has catapulted in size since I first started here, with the amount of scholars increasing to the point where half the British men’s Epee team is here. We have also had a lot of international athletes too and I feel that the set-up at the university is really becoming a hub for fencing. I just feel really privileged to have seen it grow from where it was and be a part of it.
You’ve had quite a bit of BUCS success during your time here – could you expand on those experiences for us?
Of course – so my individual BUCS title felt like it was a long time coming because in my first year there was no championships because of Coronavirus, and in my second year I lost out by one point in the quarter finals to one of my GB training partners which was frustrating in the way the draw worked out. However, last year I finally managed to become BUCS Individual Champion so I’m really looking forward to trying to repeat that.
Will you be drawing on your championship winning experience last year, or changing your approach for 2024?
I brought in some new warm-up techniques which worked, and I’ll try to approach it in a similar way. I do try and plan the way in which the draw might go because I feel like I’m a better fencer in the knockout stages. With the longer matches in the knockouts, I have more time to work my opponent out and I enjoy the pressure moments.
What are you expecting from this year’s BUCS Nationals?
Even though I’ve not been competing on the international circuit this year, I still have the belief that I can win again. It all depends on the draw - you never know what can happen. I’ll be competing in the Foil and Epee but Epee can be especially unpredictable! The days are long with the poule stage into the knockouts, so you have to really keep focussed throughout. But despite competing individually, being a part of the wider fencing team at the championships is a great experience and so much fun because you can cheer on your team mates.
After hopeful success at Nationals, how do you see the rest of the year going?
In the women’s team competition we have Oxford in the semi-final (as long as we win our quarterfinal!), and even though they have been really strong so far this year, I feel that we can get through that to progress towards BUCS Big Wednesday again. I’m really hopeful that we can make a run at the team national title because we’ve been really close for the last two years, and it would be so, so sweet to celebrate a BUCS title with my team mates.
We thank Rachael for her time as she prepares for BUCS Nationals this weekend. Everyone at University of Nottingham Sport wishes Rachael the very best at the championships and are looking forward to supporting her as she looks to retain her title. You can keep up to date with all the results from BUCS Nationals 2024 by following us on social media.
You can find out more about the Sport Scholarship programme at the University of Nottingham by
visiting our dedicated web page. You can also find out more about our
Performance Fencing programme by clicking here.
Posted on Monday 19th February 2024