I am Gaia Hardge, a 16 year old High Performance Australian National Squad Fencer, who has been fencing since the age of 8. Fencing is my life, I get to travel, make the best friends I could ask for as well as achieve consistently good results in both national and international comps.

In both NSW and Australian Cadet Junior and Open rankings, I am ranked second and in March of this year, 2022 I was selected to go to my first Cadet and Junior World Championships. In a comp of 200 fencers, I placed 42nd and 49th. 

These big comps aren't cheap, and my family aren't wealthy in money but wish for me to have these opportunities of traveling internationally to improve my current world ranking of 150^th.

My next big comp is the Commonwealths in London at the beginning of August 2022, which I have been selected for both individual and team events in all 3 age groups of Senior, Junior and Cadet. It has been extremely expensive for my parents to send me to this comp and I would be very thankful for any financial support which would allow me to have these experiences and go on the tours needed.