Saber Coach
Foil Coach
Oleh Shturbabin
Sabre Head Coach
One of the world’s top coaches, Former Ukrainian National Fencing Team Head Coach, multiple-time World Championships and European Championships medalist.
2013 – Zagreb Croatia European Championship – 3rd Place Teams
2000 Fencing World Cup – Silver Medal
2010 – Leipzig Germany European Championship – 2nd Place Teams
2010 – Leipzig Germany European Championship – 3rd Place Individual
2006 -Turin Italy World Championship – 3rd Place Teams
2005 – Leipzig Germany World Championship – 3rd Individual
2003 – Havana, Cuba World Championship – 3rd Place
Coaching Achievements
2019 – World Championship, Budapest, Hungary (Olga Kharlan) – 1st Place
2019 – European Championship, Dusseldorf, Germany (Olga Kharlan) – 1st Place
2018 – European Championship, Novi Sad, Serbia (Team Ukraine) – 2nd Place Teams
2017 – World Championship, Leipzig, Germany (Olga Kharlan) – 1st Place
2016 – Olympic Games, Rio, Brazil (Team Ukraine) – 2nd Place Teams
2016 – Olympic Games, Rio, Brazil (Olga Kharlan) – 3rd Place
2016 – European Championship, Torun, Poland (Olga Kharlan) – 3rd Place
2016 – European Championship, Torun, Poland (Team Ukraine) – 3rd Place Teams
2015- European Championship, Montreux, Switzerland (Olena Voronina) – 3rd Place
Nicole Yuan
Senior Foill Coach
Former Olympic fencer and national team coach with over 35 years of elite international fencing experience
2000 Sydney Olympic Games – Women’s Foil, Top 8 Finalist
2000 Fencing World Cup – Silver Medal
1999 Fencing World Championships – Bronze Medal
Coaching Achievements
2025 March NAC – Men’s Foil Y14 Top 8
2025 American Challenge SYC/RJCC – Men’s Junior Top 8, Men’s Y14 7th Place
2024 Canadian National Championships – Men’s Foil Gold, Women’s Foil Bronze, Men’s Foil Silver
Hristo Etropolski
Executive Saber Coach
FIE Hall of Fame inductee, two-time Olympic sabre fencer, and one of the world’s most decorated sabre coaches
Two-time Olympic Sabre Fencer – Ranked Top 8 Individually and in Teams
1 Gold, 6 Silver, and 4 Bronze Medals at World Fencing Championships and World Cups
Coaching Achievements
Over 200 medals across NAC, Junior Olympics, US National, Junior World, NCAA Championships, World Championships, and Olympic Games
One student selected to the US Olympic Fencing Team
Two students achieved Top 10 in the world rankings
Bonnie Hu
Senior Foill Coach
Former Beijing elite fencer and certified national-level referee with championship titles at major junior and national competitions in China
2009 International Junior Fencing Championships – 1st Place, Individual & Team
2006 The 12th Beijing Games – 1st Place
2004–2005 Beijing Fencing Championships – 1st Place
Coaching Achievements
Referee – The 15th Beijing Games (2018) National Fencing Club Referee, China (2013–2017)
Sean Chi
Senior Saber Coach
Senior fencing sabre coach, former member of the Chinese Taipei National Team, had trained many youth national champions; fluent in English and Mandarin.
Represented Chinese Taipei In the following International fencing
Coaching Achievements
2017 – Fencing Grand Prix (Seoul, Korea)
2016 – World Cup (Gyor, Hungary)
2016 – U23 Asian Fencing Championships (Tokyo, Japan)
2016 – European Fencing Circuit (Munich, Germany)
2012 – Junior Asian Fencing Championships
2011 – Junior Fencing Championships (Bangkok, Thailand)
2010 – World Championships (Paris, France)
Gyunghee Yoon
Senior Foill Coach
Coach Yoon is a highly accomplished foil fencer who achieved over 15 Korean national medals. Coach Yoon has dedicated over two decades to developing the skills and talents of emerging fencers, fostering their growth and preparing them for high-level competition.
Coaching Achievements
17th Korean National Junior Sport Festivas – 1st
26th Korean National Fencing Team Championships – 1st
27th KoreanNational Fencing Team Championships – 1st
3rd KFF President Trophy Fencing Championships – 1st
30th Korean National Fencing Team Championships – 1st
73rd Korean National Sport Festivas – 1st
32nd Korean National Fencing Team Championships – 2nd
72nd Korean National Sport Festivas – 2nd
31st Korean National Fencing Team Championships – 3rd
Elliott Empereur
Senior Coach & Physical Trainer
French national team fitness coach, is also a very good saber player.
2022 – International Referee In Formation
2016 – University French Champion – Individual
2014/ 2018 – High Level Athlete on the Ministerial list
Physical Training Experience
2021 – Fencing Master at the Racing Club de France Sabre section Specialist Trainer
2021 – Physical Trainer at Pole France June Releve Sabre Dame-Cadet/ lunior Women Sabre French Team Physical Trainer
2020 – 2021 – Internship at INSEP (National Institute of Sport and Performance)
– Sabre/ Foil Senior Team Physical Trainer
– Women Sabre Team Training Partner
2020 – Internship at Kristiansand Fencing Club
2018 – Internship at Circle d’Escrime Orleanais Under Coach Raphael Dall’omo
2018 – 2019 – Internship at A.S.A Escrime Under Coach Laurent Couderc
Kim Dohoon
Senior Sabre Coach
Former Korean national sabre athlete with over 20 years of competitive experience and extensive coaching background in elite youth development
2001 Asian Fencing Championships – Individual 3rd Place, Team 2nd Place
1999 36th President’s Trophy Fencing Championship – 1st Place
1999 Seoul Cup Sabre Open Championship – 3rd Place
Multiple podium finishes at Korean National Fencing Championships (1998–2012)
Coaching Achievements
Incheon Sports High School – Sabre Coach (2014–2017)
Mentored competitive youth athletes at the national level in Korea
Reza Peykarara
Senior Saber Coach
FIE International Coach & Olympic Referee with over 20 years of experience coaching world-level sabre athletes and national teams
Official Referee – Paris 2024 Olympic Games
Selected as the World’s Best Referee for 2025 by the Fédération Internationale d’Escrime (FIE)
Named Best Referee in Asia by the Asian Fencing Confederation (AFC), 2022–2024
Head Coach – Iranian Senior Women’s & Men’s Sabre National Teams (10+ years)
Coaching Achievements
Qualified athlete to the Youth Olympic Games, Buenos Aires (2018)
Men’s Sabre Individual – Bronze Medal, International Fencing Tournament, Moscow, Russia (2023)
Men’s Sabre Team – Silver Medal, Senior Asian Championships, Bangkok (2018)
Men’s Sabre Team – Silver Medal, Senior Asian Championships, Hong Kong (2017)
Men’s Sabre Team – Gold Medal, Junior Sabre World Cup, Tehran (2017)
Park Jea Hoon
Senior Saber Coach
Former Korean national sabre athlete with international coaching experience across Spain, Korea, and the United States
3rd Place – 58th National Men’s and Women’s Fencing Championships, 2020
1st Place – 35th Korean University Fencing Association Chairman’s National Championships, 2016
Multiple national podium finishes across Korean National Championships (2012–2020)
Coaching Achievements
• Student Gold Medal – Y12 Men’s Sabre, National Championships & July Challenge (USA), 2023
• Multiple student podium finishes in NAC, regional, national, and international events in the United States
Coaching Experience:
– Sabre Coach, LA Fencing Academy of Pomona, USA (2022–2024)
– Sabre Coach, Songdo Fencing Club, Incheon, Korea (2021–2022)
– Sabre Coach, Sam Fencing Club, Barcelona, Spain (2021)
Nikita Nikitkin
Senior Saber Coach
An experienced Sabre coach with a wealth of experience. Specializes in teaching athletes of all levels professional techniques, tactics, and physical training.
Coaching Achievements
2008 – Best Sportsmen of Cherkassy city.
2008 – Junior European Championship 3rd.
2007 – Master of Sport of Ukraine.
Long Yu
Senior Saber Coach
One of the co-founders of Axis Fencing. National Champion of China Fencing Championships, with a Master’s degree from Beijing Sport University. Known for a warm and patient coaching style, providing expert guidance, and emphasizing the importance of building a strong foundation. Highly regarded and beloved by students and parents.
Beijing Sport University, Beijing China
2001/2009 – Captain and Assistant Saber Coach September Beijing University, Beijing China
2010/2011 – Fencing Coach
Coaching Achievements
2003 – 5th Citv Games women’s saberfencing-fourth
2004 – National Championship Series women’ssaber fencing-first
2005 – National Youth Championships women’ssaber fencing-second
2005 – National Youth Cup women’s saberfencing training-first
2005 – Tenth National Games women’s saberfencing-fifth
2007 – National Fencing Championship Seriesfirst station Women’s saber-second
2007 – National Fencing Championship Seriesthird station Women’s saber-first
United Fencing Center 