He’s been fencing for 35 years and silver-medal winner Nigel Nutt plans to keep competing at the national championships for another 30 years before walking away from the sport he loves.
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Nutt finished runner-up in the men’s veteran foil final, beaten by Andrei Tyschenko at the AIS Arena on Saturday.
The 47-year-old former Australian representative will back up in the epee on Sunday, aiming to add to his career medal haul of five silver and one gold at the national championships.
‘‘I started when I was at school and I’d love to still be going well into my 70s,’’ Nutt said.
‘‘It’s a mix of physical activity, the love of the sport and the people you get the mix with. I just love it, it’s great fun ... I’ve got plenty of silvers.’’
More than 300 competitors are aiming for the national titles and the Centenary trophy to mark Canberra’s 100th birthday.
For siblings Chloe and Max Esposito, the tournament was their chance to start a journey of enhancing Olympic Games family tradition.
Chloe, a London Olympian, is helping young brother Max prepare for the demanding modern pentathlon and they’ve set their sights on winning Australian selection to compete in Rio in 2016.
Their father Daniel started in the multi-disciplined event and competed at the 1984 Olympics.
‘‘Max is coming along so fast, I’ve spent a bit of time overseas and come back and he’s so much bigger and stronger than he was when I left,’’ Chloe said.
‘‘It would be so special if we could go to an Olympics together. We all love the sport, it’s something really special that, with Emily, all three of us are going well.’’
Modern pentathlon combines fencing, swimming, showjumping, running and shooting.
Chloe, 22, and Max, 16, were in Canberra last week to fine tune their fencing skills at the national championships at the AIS Arena.
Chloe finished seventh in modern pentathlon in London has spent most of this year based in Spain to focus on improving her fencing skills.
Teenager Max will compete in modern pentathlon at the Youth Olympics in Nanjing, China next year.
‘‘I just picked up all the individual sports and then followed in my dad and sister’s footsteps,’’ Max said.
‘‘I watched Chloe in London, I’ve seen her get good results and hopefully I can do the same. Seeing what she has done has inspired me.’’
The fencing national championships will be in Canberra until at least 2017 and this year’s tournament finishes on Monday.
There are 18 competitions: men’s and women’s epee, foil and sabre championships as well as teams’ events.
