SEA Games 2025 Thailand - How a Chance Encounter in Fencing Sparked Singapore’s Epee Trailblazer: Kiria Tikanah
- Hana Basir
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
Set to make her fourth SEA Games appearance, Kiria Tikanah spoke with SportPlus.sg about how she first discovered fencing and how it's led to her historical SEA Games bouts
Even after reaching the pinnacle of sport and featuring at the Olympics, years spent on the world circuit and clinching multiple Southeast Asian (SEA) Games golds and her first ever medal at the Asian Championships this year, the feeling of wearing the flag on the regional stage will never dull for two-time Olympian Kiria Tikanah.
This December, the 24-year-old Epee fencer heads to Thailand for yet another SEA Games — returning to the stage where her story first took shape.
“The SEA Games is special for me because it sparked my journey in the international scene and that has snowballed into me having qualified for the Olympics,” she said, recalling how the environment, competition, and regional pride shaped her early years.
“It is something I never take for granted. I think it is a good stepping stone for the younger generation to look towards that and view the SEA Games as such.”
Leading Singapore to Becoming a Southeast Asian Powerhouse
Emerging as back-to-back champions in the Epee team event and sweeping the individual Epee event with all-Singapore finals at the last two SEA Games, Singapore has undeniably established itself as a powerhouse not only in women’s Epee, but across all events.
“Over the years, we have started to cement Singapore’s position as one of the top countries in the Southeast Asian region. I always feel a special sense of accomplishment and look forward to being a part of that.”
“The team golds were also something that we have been trying to achieve for a long time, and it felt very encouraging when we managed to finally achieve that first team gold in 2021. It gave us a lot of confidence in our strength as a team and we believed that with continued hard work and teamwork, we can aim even higher in future competitions.”
This December, her mission is clear. The competitive fire remains — but so does the camaraderie that makes this team unlike any other.
“I am most looking forward to hopefully retaining our position as the top country for fencing at the SEA Games, fencing against some strong opponents and just experiencing the sense of teamwork and camaraderie with the rest of the Singapore team.”
Back to the Start
That sense of belonging didn’t happen overnight. It began at her very first international competition, where she wore the Singapore jacket for the first time — and felt the symbolic weight of it settle on her shoulders.
“Wearing the Singapore jacket at my first international tournament was the most memorable part of that competition for me,” she said.
“I remember feeling very excited and proud, and felt this new sense of purpose and motivation to give my best.”
What she remembers most is the shift: suddenly, she wasn’t fencing for herself alone.
“I felt that I had the whole Singapore team behind me, and I felt like I was fighting for more than just myself. I was fighting for my team and to uphold the country’s name.”
It’s a feeling that has carried her through countless bouts since — including those that rewrote Singapore’s fencing history.
From Chance Encounter to History-maker
What makes her journey remarkable is how ordinary the beginning was. There was no grand plan or strategic introduction to fencing. It began with childlike curiosity — the kind any child might feel when stumbling upon something new.
“I got into fencing purely by chance,” Kiria recalled. “As a kid who loved sports, I stumbled upon a fencing club one day and decided to give it a try.”
What began simply as a fun after-school activity quickly pulled her in deeper.
“It initially started as a hobby to have fun and keep fit, but it quickly became the sport I really gravitated towards. The adrenaline, the precision, and the uniqueness of the sport drew me in right away.”
Initially a foil fencer, Kiria made the switch to Epee at the age of 12 and in just under a decade, made history to become the first Singaporean woman to fence in the Epee event at the Olympics—her proudest moment yet.
“I made the switch because I felt that my personality and fencing style suited Epee more naturally. I am more of a patient fencer and not very aggressive, and I prefer to take time to read the opponent, plan my moves, and wait for the right opening,” she explained.
“In foil, I often felt a bit restricted by the faster pace and priority rules, but in Epee I had the freedom to express my style of fencing more fully. The emphasis on timing and accuracy in Epee really resonated with me.”
It all seemed meant to be, as Kiria clinched Singapore’s first Epee gold medal in 30 years at the 2019 SEA Games. There, on her SEA Games debut, she found her breakthrough in the international scene.
“While it was a significant moment for me in the senior category, it was also a huge moment for the country. It felt very rewarding to be able to show to not just the SEA countries, but also our own fencers that we can compete and succeed at this level."
That breakthrough moment in 2019 didn’t just set Kiria on her path — it also opened doors for the rising generation behind her. In the 2021 SEA Games, she found herself in an all-Singapore final against young prodigy Elle Koh, who claimed gold at just 15 years old. The two met again in the semi-finals two years later, where Kiria fell to her junior once again and settled for a joint-bronze.
The search for gold was successful in the team event, where she led the charge and guided Singapore to its first-ever women’s Epee team gold in 2021 and successfully defending the title in 2023.
“It felt very encouraging when we managed to finally achieve that first team gold in 2021. It gave us a lot of confidence in our strength as a team and we believed that with continued hardwork and teamwork, we can aim even higher in future competitions,” she shared.
“Hearing the national anthem play out in the arena is always a humbling and motivating experience. It’s a reminder to me that each medal is a culmination of everyone who has worked hard with me and for me towards this achievement.”
Inspiring the Next Generation
Now one of the most recognisable figures in Singapore fencing, Kiria knows younger athletes are watching — and she embraces that responsibility fully.
“Inspiring the next generation of Singaporean athletes through the SEA Games means a lot to me,” she said. She sees in them the same spark she once had.
“Seeing the next generation feel motivated and fight hard to want to compete at the international stage like the SEA Games reminds me that every journey starts somewhere.”
“Me having the chance to compete at the SEA Games is also a chance for me to be a part of something that is bigger than myself,” she said.
“It is both a privilege and responsibility for me to present myself in the best way I could, on and off the fencing piste.”
Her hope is simple — that her presence on the piste becomes a catalyst for someone else’s dream.
“I hope that one day it can also be a catalyst for them to aim towards bigger international stages, just as it had been for me.”