Chesterfield - Destination Chesterfield

My name is Hannah and I am a fencer, currently living in London, and training full-time in the hope of competing in the 2012 Olympics. This is quite an unusual situation to be in considering that I grew up in Chesterfield, went to Brookfield Community School and loved playing netball and doing athletics at Queens Park Annex. Although my occupation is not typical of a Chesterfieldian, I have no doubt in my mind that it is my upbringing in Chesterfield that got me where I am today.

I started fencing around 14 years old at Wingerworth Fencing Club, who welcome, encourage and nurture everyone who comes through the Sharley Park doors, to embody and love fencing as much as they do. Their love of the sport (and their lifts to various national competitions) inspired me to keep fencing despite GCSE’s, A Levels, Pizza Hut shifts and the bright lights of “chez vegas”.

Brookfield also supported me, finding funding from Derbyshire Sports Council and giving me free use of Brampton Manor for fitness and the Sports Hall for lessons during lunch time.

As I moved to Manchester to Study Sociology at University, despite representing Great Britain on the International Junior Circuit, my funds began to run out - but Chesterfield provided for me once again. My friend’s sister’s friend (in true Chesterfield style) who worked at Steria Ltd (behind the new NHS Centre) offered me sponsorship after I became Senior National Champion, and opened the door to a whole host of new opportunities. I was then able to compete at the Australian Youth Olympics 2009 winning a bronze and gold medal, the Junior Commonwealths 2009, winning a gold medal, and The World Student Games 2010. I was then put on the senior national team and have competed at two World Championships and one European Championship where GBR quarter-finalled in the team event. I am now half way through my second senior international season, am ranked 2nd Nationally and have a world ranking.

With my move down to London in October 2010 and seeing the high standard of Fencing clubs in the South, instead of feeling deprived and disadvantaged growing up away from the centre of fencing, I have realised that without the community spirit of Chesterfield I would never have had the drive to achieve what I have, nor to keep striving to achieve, and I hope to promote my home town further in the run up to our own Olympic Games, London 2012.

You can follow Hannah on twitter http://www.twitter.com/hannahelawrence and follow her blog for the Derbyshire Times at http://hannahlawrencegbr.blogspot.com/