by admin | Nov 25, 2019 | British Fencing, Brixton Fencing Club, Fencing, News
By England Fencing.co.uk
First junior Imperium Fencing Trophy for London Cup held at Whitgift
Over 180 London school children from more than 10 fencing clubs across London gathered for the inaugural city stage of the Imperium Fencing Trophy for juniors on Sunday 28 April.
The event is thought to be the largest and most inclusive fencing tournament in London for young fencers and was organised by Brixton Fencing Club together with Imperium Investments, a long term supporter of British junior fencing.
The competition took place at Whitgift, the most respected school for sports in South London and the place which has generated British Olympic champions and successful athletes in sports including football, cricket and swimming.
The Imperium Fencing Trophy (IFT) is a junior British-European epee fencing competition. The competition has 3 stages: City of London Cup, National British Cup and European Cup.
The Trophy was founded by Imperium Investments and its CEO Dmitry Leus, a former European fencing champion and a patron of Brixton Fencing Club. The mission of the project is to popularise and develop fencing in Great Britain among young people and to make it more attractive and accessible for children.
The children competed in the age categories U9, U11, U13 and U15 in the city stage of the Imperium Fencing Trophy. Those competing came from clubs such as Knightsbridge, Chelsea and Central London Fencing Club. The level of competition was high, involving fencers who represent the English and Wales national teams. This added to the positive, passionate and competitive atmosphere of the day.
Speaking at the event, Dmitry Leus said: “We believe that sport can play a transformative role in a person’s life. It is not only about excelling at the sport itself. There are also tremendous life skills to be gained from dedicated training and the experience of competition. We are delighted to play a role in bringing the sport to local children and give them more opportunities for personal development in professional sport or just for fun.”
Mr Leus has been engaged in fencing since the age of 12 and he went on to be European champion at the age of 17. He is passionate about passing the same opportunities on to the younger generations.
He explains: “I have a strong belief in the role sport can play in a young person’s life. The development of children’s sports is an important contribution to the future for all of us and this is why we at Imperium Investments focus some of our charitable efforts in this direction.”
After a long day of robust single combats, the main prizes were gained by the junior fencers of Leon Paul, Chelsea and Knightsbridge (U9 and U13).
The next stage of the tournament will be the National British stage of IFT. It will take place in September and will involve the representatives of British fencing clubs from Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow and other British cities.
The European Cup of ITF will finish the season in November and will determine the best junior fencers among British and European fencing clubs.
by admin | Jun 3, 2019 | British Fencing, Brixton Fencing Club, Fencing, News
BY BRIXTON BLOG
Imperium Investments and the Brixton Fencing Club have joined forces in a campaign to allow children across Lambeth to experience fencing.
The initiative, called the Imperium Academy, is designed to make the sport more accessible to local youngsters. The academy will contact children via schools and offer free and subsidised training.
It will also donate new equipment to the Brixton Fencing Club to enhance the experience of children having their first taste of the sport at Brixton Rec.
Imperium Investment’s managing director and founder, Dmitry Leus, is a patron of the sport and was once a European champion.
“Fencing is a fantastic sport, one that everyone should have the opportunity to enjoy,” he said.
The Rec was a perfect partner for the academy, given its history of hosting the Brixton Fencing Club, one of the most successful clubs in the country, he said. Chris Tidmarsh, chairman of the club’s committee, said it was delighted to play a role at the new academy.
“It is so important that this great sport be open and accessible to all,” he said. “Yes, we’d love to be giving some future champions their first start, but we are also passionate about exposing as many kids as possible to the life skills and commitment that come from getting involved in fencing.”
“We are sometimes unfairly viewed as an elitist sport and we want to be sure our doors are open.” Paul Sanchez, the UK’s top ranked male fencer, trains at the Rec and is fully behind the project.
“This is a great initiative to get kids of all backgrounds trying out the sport,” he said. “Maybe one of them could soon be after my ranking!”
Source BRIXTON BLOG
by admin | Jan 6, 2019 | British Fencing, Brixton Fencing Club, Fencing, News
By LLB REPORTER
Brixton was the scene of a fencing competition for both child and adult fencers at the Brixton Recreation Centre on 10 and 12 December. The event was hosted by the Brixton Fencing Club in partnership with Imperium Investments.
On Monday the Under 7s competition was won by Poppy Lyster and the Under 11s competition by Sameer Sunder-Rajan. On Wednesday Nick Beaumont won the Senior Male competition, with Laura Sheffield the champion in the Senior Female category.
The Junior Male title was won by Luca Bodereau and the Junior Female title went to Erin Pedler. Chris Tidmarsh, the chairman of the Brixton Fencing Club said commented:
“The fencers thoroughly enjoyed the competition and having prizes provided by Imperium added to the stakes, making this a truly competitive experience for children and adults alike.”
Speaking at the event, Dmitry Leus said: “We were delighted to support this event. I know from my own background in fencing how important it is to get to the opportunity to truly compete. Competition strengthens not only your sports skills, but also your approach to life. It’s especially inspiring to see these young people competing and giving their all.”
Lavinia Oana Puiu, a coach at the Brixton Fencing Club, explained the benefits of the competition:
“This was a great opportunity to see the improvement in the children after their long training period. This kind of competition lets coaches really see their students’ fencing level. It was also such a pleasure to see the reaction from the students and their families to the prizes and presents.”
The competition forms part of a collaboration between Imperium Investments and the Brixton Fencing Club. They have joined forces to allow children across Lambeth to experience fencing.
Source LLB REPORTER
by admin | Jun 5, 2018 | British Fencing, Fencing, News
Harrison Nichols and Dmitry Leus (PRNewsfoto/British Fencing)
PROVIDED BY British Fencing
British Fencing has announced that Imperium Investments have awarded British fencer Harrison Nichols a grant to support his training.
Dmitry Leus, founder and CEO of Imperium Investments said: “I am very excited to be able to support a young epee fencer as he prepares to enter the Senior International circuit.
To be successful in Senior international competition fencers must dedicate themselves to many aspects and hours of training and development. I am proud to be able to support the next generation of British talent in this way. I wish Harrison the best of luck for the upcoming Senior European Championships.”
Harrison Nichols said, ‘I am extremely grateful for this funding I have received. This support will allow me to train and compete to the best of my ability and will help me achieve the ambitious goals I have set for myself.
The upcoming European Senior Championships is a fantastic opportunity for me to compete and test myself at the highest level in the Senior Circuit.
The stress of finding funds to support next season’s training has now been greatly alleviated and it will allow me to focus completely at the task at hand. In terms of the future, I look forward to the challenge of breaking into the Senior International Circuit next season.’
Georgina Usher, chief executive office of British Fencing, commented: “Success on the World stage is predicated on a significant amount of hard work and training.
This support gives Harrison and his coach the ability to create a realistic long term training plan with the confidence that financial support to follow it is in place.
On behalf of British Fencing I would like to thank Imperium Investments and wish Harrison and the rest of the GBR team the best of luck in the upcoming Senior European Championships.
As an unfunded performance sport, grants like these are critical to help our athletes as they seek to represent GB at the highest level.”
by admin | Apr 11, 2018 | British Fencing, Dmitry Content, Fencing, News
Dmitry Leus, founder and CEO of Imperium Investments, congratulates Lizzie Powell (left) and Mhairi McLauglin on selection at the recent Great Britain Talent Camp.
By Liam Moakes
WYTHALL fencer Lizzie Powell is among the British athletes preparing to compete in the U23 European Championships which start in Armenia tomorrow (Saturday).
She is one of a trio who have been backed to attend the event through a donation from Imperium Investments to the British Fencing Charity.
Powell, 22, who is trained by coach John Rees, will be representing GB in the women’s epee event and is hugely excited at the prospect of competing in Armenia’s capital city Yerevan.
“I am delighted to have been selected to represent GB in Armenia. This will be the second time I have competed at this event and I am looking forward to the opportunity to fence against other athletes from all over Europe and to improving my international ranking,” said Powell.
“I am very grateful to Imperium Investments for the support they are giving me, as their contribution makes a huge difference to my ability to compete for my country.”
British Fencing CEO Georgina Usher said: “On behalf of British Fencing I would like to wish the athletes the best of luck in the championships.
“I’d also like to thank Imperium Investments for the support they have provided through the BF Charity to support our team. As an unfunded performance sport, donations like these are critical to help our athletes as they seek to represent GB at the highest level.”
Dmitry Leus, founder and CEO of Imperium Investments, added: “I’m a big supporter of the sport of fencing and wanted to support the British national team. Good luck to Lizzie, I’m sure she will do the country proud.”
by admin | Feb 17, 2018 | British Fencing, Fencing, News
By Brussels Express.eu
There is no question for me that the pursuit of sport is a huge factor in empowering your success in the business world. This is not intended as a macho or swaggering claim. It just seems very clear that the skills and traits that are built up by a serious and dedicated commitment to a sport also form the foundation for a successful business or professional life.
To be deeply committed to a sport builds the skills that are crucial for entrepreneurial success. In both the sporting and business worlds, one must be goal-orientated. Both realms require you to be dedicated to your training and self-improvement. Both will require a strong self-belief. Both will require you to make mistakes and learn from them. Both worlds require that you trust your own intuition. And both disciplines require you to be open to new challenges and experiences.
My own sporting journey began in my childhood in Turkmenistan. My father was a well-known fencing coach and international fencing judge. But like many kids in the Soviet Union at that time, I first experimented with swimming, judo, martial arts, and courtyard football. I enjoyed them enough but none of these sports lit a flame for me.
Ironically, given that it was my Dad who was the fencing professional, it was actually my mother who got me hooked on this sport. She insisted that I give fencing a go. I complained that the fencing training centre was at the other side of town, more than an hour away by bus. But she insisted, saying: “Go on! Just give it a try. If it’s not for you, then no big deal. But at least you’ll be able to tell the other boys you fought with a real sword, just like d’Artagnan!” This was clearly a question of a mother knowing her son much better than he knew himself. Because of course, once I tried it, I was instantly hooked.
A lifetime of training began. Weeks spent in special pre-tournament training camps, where hours were spent in relentless practice. I felt the frisson of truly competing, the moment where all attention is focused on you. That moment when the coach, the judges, the other participants and the audience are all watching to see what you are capable of. And then the thrill of lifting a trophy. First the second place trophy and then eventually the first place. With the exhilaration of lifting it comes the satisfaction of knowing you earned it, that the hours and hours in the gym paid off, that you really did it.
Despite my teenage years being quite dominated by fencing, I still studied well at school and then university. The fact that my time was limited due to sports training meant that I used the time that was left to me wisely. And it wasn’t all work, work, work. It wasn’t just fencing followed by study followed by fencing followed by study. Even at the pre-competition training camps, we would sneak out at night to go to a disco. There was a balance in life! But it was conscious and considered and the sporting discipline helped me achieve that.
Fencing also quite literally opened up the world to me. I dreamed of seeing like beyond my ‘Iron curtain’ and my passion for sport enabled me to do just that. In order to go to international competitions, you had to show good results and get into your country’s national team. So when I reached 10th grade, I did just that and I got the opportunity to participate in international competitions.
My passion for fencing has stayed with me, from my childhood in Turkmenistan, to my adult life in Moscow and now my business life in London. When I fence today, the sport puts me into a kind of meditative state. When you are in a duel and you face an opponent, you have to act in that very moment, without thinking about anything else. Therefore, for the two hours that I play this sport my brain essentially gets ‘switched’ and this is very important for me in maintaining my life balance.
The greatest gifts that fencing has given me in my business life are the following seven skills. The first is to just keep moving forwards towards your goal. To do that, you have to know your goal clearly, in this very moment, time and place. You need to be very aware of this goal. Moving forward just for the sake of it is a waste of time and energy. The second skill is persistence: never give up. You have to gather all your strength and fight. The third is to train and keep training.
Champions train twice as hard as runners up. To maintain a leadership position is even more difficult than achieving it in the first place. The fourth transferable skill is self-belief. Just remember the rule: Nothing is impossible. The fifth transferable skill is to simply make mistakes. If Michael Jordan can talk about the shots he missed and the games he lost, then so can we all. As he said, he succeeded because he failed, over and over. The sixth golden rule is to listen to yourself. Trust your intuition. Hear the vice inside you that will give you that small advantage that helps you win. And last of all, be open to something new. Try something different, take a different approach and don’t be afraid to experiment.
It is clear to me that my business mindset was formed long before I actually grew up and entered the business world. It was created in the gymnasiums and competition halls of my teenage years and the spirit that it forged is what helps me throughout all other aspects of my life.
