GB fencer Yasmin Campbell has arrived and is making her mark in the industry. Tyler Nicholas meets the British National Champion as she talks about her upbringing, fencing friendships and being a successful black athlete.
Campbell’s life changed when she joined her first fencing club at eight years old. CREDIT: Augusto Bizzi
Yasmin Campbell hates sitting still; she’s a self-confessed mover, the type to run a half-marathon during the night. So, I was not at all shocked when the 22-year-old fencer suggested meeting me for a jogging session on a Thursday morning in Finchley, North London. “Sure!” I respond via iMessage immediately. In all honesty, it’s a horrifying idea!
Looking every inch the athlete, Campbell turns up early for our meet, showcasing her slender but strong physique in a pink sports bra and black running shorts carrying a huge rucksack full of her degree course textbooks. She shows me her Kempa attack Pro shoes – and tells me that the right shoes are vital when working out. “Make sure that you have training shoes that last long and are comfortable”, she says, smiling.
We set off jogging through the neighbourhood while she navigated the streets. I did my best to keep pace as we passed bakery shops, supermarkets and her local pharmacy. As a little girl, Campbell would commit to a regular jogging routine around the Holloway area, where she grew up with her mother and cat named Cookie until she moved to Finchley to be closer to her late grandmother. She took me to her house, and we sat on the porch for approximately three minutes so that I could catch my breath. The athlete had barely broken a sweat. Once realising my lack of fitness, she suggested continuing our conversation at SOHO coffee, to which I gratefully agreed. She then ran inside quickly to change into her black turtleneck and leggings.
Yasmin has always been a fast learner and would throw herself headfirst into new challenges. From placing third in the European Cadet Championships in 2017 to becoming a two-time national champion in 2019 and 2021, fencing is more than just a sport to Yasmin. “It is a mind-body connection, a sense of liberation”, she says. Growing up, Campbell’s mother wanted her to have the best opportunities in life despite being raised by a single parent on an average living wage. “My mother wanted me to do a sport or extracurricular activity that would open doors for me”, she says. “It was going to be Taekwondo, but fencing was much cheaper.” She stops suddenly. “Putting your child into any sport can be quite expensive”, she says with a stern look on her face.
As a little girl, Yasmin would watch the Olympics every four years religiously with her mother. Focusing solely on fencing, she became inspired by one fencer and one fencer only - Valentina Vezzali. The Italian fencer, known for winning six Olympic gold medals and being a sixteen-time World Champion in foil, motivated Campbell to take up the discipline rather than épée or sabre. “Every time she used to compete in the Olympics, I was in awe of her talent. I believe that she is the most well-known fencer and has had such a successful career. Also, she is venturing into Politics which I think is really cool”, she says, but for the immediate future, Yasmin has her heart set on the 2024 Paris Olympics.
From having travelled to over twenty countries to compete in fencing tournaments, winning medals and meeting fencing icons, Yasmin has obtained an impressive resume throughout her career. She recalls meeting and training with former British Olympic fencer Richard Kruse, 39, in 2020, who she describes as an “inspirational fencer”. “He is such an amazing person, and I know the circumstances that he’s been in and what he’s had to overcome in order to qualify for so many Olympics. Especially the lack of funding and support”, she says.
Yasmin Campbell (left) competing at the National Championships in 2021. CREDIT: Augusto Bizzi
Fencing, being such a narrow sport, has a reputation for its elitist culture initiated historically by men from white European backgrounds. Campbell understands the significance of black pioneers like former USA fencers Ruth White and Peter Westberg, who have paved the way for other black fencers. “They knocked down so many barriers”, she says. “I think it is incredibly significant to be part of this legacy and quite a proud moment.” Yasmin also champions her adoration for tennis players Serena and Venus Williams, who being black women in tennis, “also had those same barriers,” but both left a huge mark on the sport. “They were dominating tennis for so many years”, she says.
Yasmin has always been passionate about motivating young people from working-class backgrounds to branch into the sport. Last year, she visited Crown Hills Community College in Leicester to teach and train students in fencing. Campbell insists it is for “anyone and everyone despite your class and background”. Pivoting to a childhood memory of her fencing, Yasmin gives some advice to young people who wish to follow in her footsteps and try out fencing or other sports. “Always follow your instincts and do what makes you happy. Whether that is fencing or another sport”, she says.
Aside from fencing, Yasmin is studying Politics and International relations at Goldsmiths University of London. Currently, in her final year, she expresses the hardship of balancing her sporting life with university.
CREDIT: Tyler Nicholas
The athlete says: “University is going really well actually. I am on my way to securing a first in my degree. However, I am finding that I have to sometimes take my training stuff with me, which can be quite terrible for my back. Also, the fact that I am in my final year, it can be tiring as I have to work on my dissertation and many other deadlines”.
As I get ready to head back to the train station, Yasmin insists on dropping me off. Once we begin walking back to Finchley Road, I notice a black girl, maybe seven or eight, wearing an Arsenal football kit, smiling at us as we walk by.
For more information on Yasmin Campbell: https://fie.org/athletes/34830 and https://www.the-sports.org/yasmin-campbell-fencing-spf329375.html