Fencing for the Future: Mohammed Belbouab’s Olympic Journey

The SportsAid athlete has recently been named among the top 10 finalists for the 2025 SportsAid One to Watch Award, supported by Aldi.

Mohammed is chasing his ultimate goal of competing at the Olympic Games, while hoping his journey can help inspire young athletes from all backgrounds to give fencing a try.

The teenager first picked up a foil thanks to his mum, who spotted an advert for a local fencing club.

Mo said:

“My parents signed me up for every sport,” 

“Then we tried fencing, and from my first session I loved it. My mum had already spent so much on lessons she told me I had to keep going until I was 18 or made the GB team, and I haven’t looked back since.”

At first, fencing was purely for fun. But by his early teens, things started to shift.

“Around 13 or 14, I thought, ‘Wow, I actually have a talent. I could do something great.’

From then on, I knew I wanted to reach the Olympics.”

His breakthrough came early. Aged just 12, Mohammed reached the top eight at the under-17 National Championships, an extraordinary feat, before earning his first World Cup selection shortly after.

Last season saw him travel across Europe, competing at EFC events and gaining invaluable international experience.

“This season everything has clicked.”

In recent weeks, Mohammed claimed gold at a European Cadet World Cup, an achievement that propelled him to number one in the European rankings for his age group.

“Winning that gold was amazing.” 

“The night before I was so excited I couldn’t sleep. On the day, everything just came together.”

Behind the success lies vital support from SportsAid, something Mohammed says has been genuinely life-changing.

“The funding means the world to me.”

“My dad had a back injury a year and a half ago and couldn’t work. Every competition I go to now is because of SportsAid. Without it, I’d be nowhere.”

The support first enabled Mohammed to travel solo to the 2024 Commonwealth Championships in New Zealand, a trip he knows would have been impossible otherwise.

“It was really expensive to go.”

“Without SportsAid, I wouldn’t have been there.”

He returned with two silver medals, competing in both the under-17 and under-20 team events, another huge milestone in his rapidly growing career.

Balancing elite sport with school life also brings its own challenges.

“It’s hard, but I’m willing to put the work in.”

“Sometimes I even have to skip competitions because of exams, but education is important too.”

Despite the pressures, Mohammed’s ambitions continue to grow.

“My short-term goal is to win more World Cups, two, three, four… as many as I can.

“Long-term, it’s always the Olympics. Maybe not LA 2028, but Brisbane 2032, that’s the one I’m really aiming for.”

Being shortlisted for the One to Watch Award, supported by Aldi, has strengthened his belief that he’s on the right path.

“Out of a thousand athletes to be top 10 is crazy, especially in a sport that’s not that popular here,” he says. “It shows that all the hard work is paying off.”

Looking to the future, Mohammed hopes to give back to his community by running free fencing training camps for young people who may not otherwise get the opportunity to try the sport.

“For now, I’m fully focused on becoming the best fencer I can be,” he says. “But one day, I want to help others start their journeys too.”

SportsAid Backing the Best athlete Mohammed Belbouab has momentum firmly on his side, and Olympic dreams are driving him forward.