Fares Ferjani on Olympic Lessons, African Pride & Fighting Spirit | Direct Elimination Ep. 7

🎙️ EPISODE 7 – FARES FERJANI INTERVIEWThe Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts. In this episode of Direct Elimination, hosts Ari Simmons and Stephen Ewart welcome Fares Ferjani — Tunisian sabre fencer, Olympian, and one of the most inspiring voices in African fencing.Fares’ journey is rooted in family, identity, and pride. Coming from a fencing family in Tunisia, he quickly rose through the ranks, becoming an Olympian and one of the faces of African fencing on the world stage. His story is about more than medals — it’s about representing a continent, staying grounded through setbacks, and fighting with joy.You’ll hear:Fares’ origin story — how fencing found him and why it became his passion.Lessons from competing and medaling at the Olympic Games and carrying Tunisia’s flag on the strip.The influence of family and community in building his mindset.Why he embraces the title of being one of Africa’s top fencers — and the responsibility that comes with it.Training challenges and breakthroughs while balancing life across continents.What it means to bring visibility to fencing in countries where the sport is still growing.How he stays grounded in gratitude and why joy is central to his fencing philosophy.Fares’ story is about competing at the highest level while never losing sight of where you come from — and using the platform of sport to open doors for others.🗣️ “If you’re a competitor, this episode is for you.”⏱ Timestamps00:00 – Intro & sponsor shoutout 02:00 – Welcoming Fares Ferjani 06:00 – Growing up in a fencing family in Tunisia 12:00 – Early competitions & African representation 18:00 – The Olympic experience: lessons & challenges 28:00 – Identity, pride, and representing Tunisia 35:00 – Balancing training across continents 42:00 – African fencing: growth, challenges, opportunities 50:00 – Mindset, gratitude, and fighting spirit 57:00 – One Light Answers (rapid fire) 1:01:00 – Closing reflections💬 Key Quotes“I am brutally honest with myself”“Joy is what makes me fight harder — not pressure.”“In order to respect your opponent and yourself, you have to go 100%”Thank you for listening!🔗 Check out FencR🌐: https://www.fencr.app/📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fencr.app🔗 Connect with Us🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple: https://link.me/directelimination📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directelimination/🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@directeliminationpodcast📺 Subscribe for more episodes: youtube.com/@DirectElimination🔗 Prieur USA🌐: https://www.prieurusa.com/📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prieur_usa/