National Games: new coach aims high, but calls partnership with fencers ‘work in progress’
Frenchman Gauthier Grumier, a former épée Olympic and world champion, says he is targeting a gold medal in his first multi-sports bonanza
As Hong Kong’s épéeists prepared to open the National Games fencing events on Saturday, attention has turned to how the partnership between teacher and pupils is progressing.
Gauthier Grumier, who took up his post as Hong Kong’s épée head coach only earlier this year, admitted it was still a “work in progress” in terms of getting to know his athletes.
However, the 41-year-old Frenchman is not afraid to say that his target with his team is a gold medal at his first National Games.
“We hope for the best, but you know it’s sports and we never know what will happen during the day,” he said. “It depends on the performance on the day, but yes, this is the target and we aim and work for this.”
Grumier, a former French national team coach, he had spent a lot of time with his team “communicating and playing in competitions”, but it was very much early days.
“It’s very important to know how people are and what their expectations are,” he said. “It’s a good time, but six months in the life of a coach is very short.