FOIL - Antonio Signorello, our head coach, has worked for 24 year with Olympic National Teams: with Italy from 2000 to 2008, with Turkey in the summer of 2005, and, as foil and sabre head coach, with team Australia from 2009 to 2024.
Antonio has had the pleasure to coach successful athletes in both foil and sabre, such as Giovanna Trillini (Bronze in 2006 and 2007 senior World championship, silver in the 2008 World Cup and 4th at the Beijing Olympic Games in women foil)); Gigi Tarantino (winner of the 2008 men Sabre World Cup); Giuseppe Alongi (gold in teams and individual bronze at the 2003 junior world championships in men foil) and Loreta Gulotta (senior wold champion with team Italy and top 8 at the Rio Olympic Games), Sholto Douglas (individual silver and team’s gold at the Commonwealth Championship, bronze with team Australia at the senior Asian Championships and at the World University Games, top 8 at the senior Asian championships and top 16 at the Turin World Cup.
Maestro Signorello has lead the men’s foil Australian Team to the top 12 ranking in two consecutive world championships, 2017 and 2018.
Antonio’s Australian students, to 2024, have won 16 Senior National individual gold medals.
The Academy foil team consists of Maestro Signorello, coach Dimi Giovani and young coaches Chris Paoloni, Sam Mooney Grand and Robert Ciccarelli.
SABRE - Our Sabre coaching team, including Alex Andre’ and Michael Howard, has participated in numerous Asian and World championships with team Australia, and have won several medals at the Commonwealth Championships.
Coach Alex Andre’s athletes have conquered a record 6 gold medals at the London 2022 Commonwealths and she’s the Australian coach of Veronika Vasileva who has been n1 junior world’s ranked, medalist at the junior Asian championships and top 8 at the junior World championship.
Alex’s students have won several Australian titles including 7 in the U15, 7 in the U17, 6 in the U20 and 3 in the seniors.
Michael, whose sabreurs Alex Lette and Zara Djamirze have won both men and women’s cadets gold at the recent Commonwealth championships in Christchurch, has also conquered 6 Australian national titles with his students.
Young coaches Colin Chen and Zeno Radnoti complete the Academy Sabre team.
Epee is the “youngest” of our weapons but coach Simon Capon, following the Italian teaching system, has brought it up in only few years so to win the U17 Australian championship with n.1 ranked Tommy Xu and having n.2 national ranked Cheelyn Wang.
Our Epee team also includes coach Richard Emmerick, real veteran of Australian fencing, and coach Amelie’ Awong, winner of a French senior national championship and a bronze medal with team France at the World Universiade.
The Sydney Academy of Fencing is proud to coach all 3 fencing weapons.
The Academy coaching staff includes Olympic, World and National level coaches as well as young qualified instructors in order to best respond to all fencers necessities.
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Antonio started coaching in Italy in 1994.
From 2000 to 2008 has worked with the Italian National Team, training athletes to win medals at European and World level as well as for the 2004 and 2008 Olympics.
From 2009 to 2024 Antonio has lead the Australian Team to win medals at the Asian championships and at the University World Games, ultimately guiding the Aussie Foil team to be ranked top 12 in the World.
Antonio students have won several Italian and Australian titles in both foil and sabre.
Simon, who has been part of the Australian Fencing Team as an athlete, coaches all weapons but he's specialised in Epee.
His students have achieved some excellent results in recent years, including the n.1 on the Australian U17 ranking, top 16 at the Asian championships and top 64 at the Worlds cadets.
Simon is very dedicated to his students and he’s extremely motivated to bring everyone to the next level.
Chris has been fencing foil for a while and, despite the young age, he has decided to start his coaching career.
Chris is very fond of the Italian foil school, and, under the guidance of Maestro Signorello and coach Capon he has quickly gained everyone’s trust and respect.
Amelie’ Awong has had a high level athlete’s career, being part of the Epee French Team and winning team gold at the 2015 Universiade as well as the senior French Championship in the same year.
Amelie’ is now coaching both epee and fencing fitness at the Sydney Academy of Fencing, trying to pass her valuable experience to the young Australian fencers.
After a competitive fencing career in foil, Richard formed the Mountains Fencing Club, and began coaching; a role he has filled to the present time.
Richard has been NSW Epee coach for the AFF.
In 2013 Richard attended an FIE epee coaching course in Uzbekistan.
Richard has also led the U23 Australian Epee Team to the Asian Championships in Kuwait.
Richard has been acknowledged by Sport NSW with the 2020 Distinguished Long Service Award and he has recently received an honorary plaque from the NSWFA, “in recognition of a career of valuable and consistent support for fencing development in NSW.”
Alex Andre’, after being an athlete of the Australian Sabre Team at the senior Asian and World Championships, started coaching after the 2012 London Olympics.
Alex is the most winning coach of all time at the commonwealth championships, with 6 gold and one silver medals in one single event in London 2022.
Alex students have won many Australian championships in all categories and, her main student, Veronika Vasileva, has been ranked n.1 in the junior world ranking.
Michael has coached for many clubs and, in 2009, joined the NSW Squad program, becoming also an assistant national coach for the national HPP.
In 2018, he established his own club called 'Hills Sabre Academy', out in Western Sydney.
He has toured with NSW fencers to many national events all over Australia and he has led the Australian Sabre Team to international events such as the World University Games in China 2011, the Cadet Junior World Champs - Moscow 2012 and the Senior World Champs - Budapest 2013.
Many of his students have achieved impressive results in state, national and international events and, more specifically, they've won two gold medals at the 2024 Commonwealth Championships.
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