Meet Nagwa: Fencing towards The Olympics

For those of you dreaming of chasing your passion to professional heights or even on a global stage, Nagwa is the perfect source of inspiration.

At only 15 years old, Nagwa, from Cairo, Egypt is already winning titles for fencing in the African Nations Championship, in categories years above her age, all while managing her academic responsibilities, studying IGCSE at CGA.

With eyes set on the Olympics, every achievement at CGA, both academic and in fencing, is a step closer to her ultimate goal.

"If I had to describe CGA in one word is* that it's flexible I can adapt my cla*ss schedule with my life."

We got to hear directly from Nagwa on how she manages her time and commitments to make it all happen.

African Nations Championship:

• Gold medal in the individual cadets (17 years) tournament.
• Gold medal in the team cadets tournament.
• Gold medal in the team juniors (20 years) tournament.
• Silver medal in the individual junior tournament.

CGA For Global Champions

Before joining CGA, Nagwa struggled to keep up with her studies while traveling for fencing camps and competitions.

“My old school didn’t allow me to be absent for a long time. I used to miss a lot of classes due to my fencing camps and traveling, so that really affected me academically and athletically.”

Then she found CGA's online classes. CGA’s flexibility transformed Nagwa’s routine.

“CGA has helped me a lot in this part because I can access all my classes anytime and anywhere. If I miss something, I can always go back to the recording and check it out.”

A typical day for Nagwa is anything but ordinary. She starts classes at 10 a.m., finishes by 3 p.m., and heads straight to fencing practice. By the time her intense training ends at 10 p.m., most students would call it a day—but not Nagwa. She heads home, dives back into her studies, and prepares for the next day. “It’s a lot,” she admits, “but CGA makes it possible.”

Nagwa’s favourite thing about CGA are her teachers who support her every step of the way.

“I first met Bob Fan when I was in Grade 9. He gave me a lot of advice to go from Pre-IG to IGCSE.”

Preparation and Motivation

"I’ve taken advantage of moving to Taiwan by training there and attending a camp. I also returned to Egypt for another camp - I train almost everyday," Nagwa shares about her rigorous preparation for the African Nations Championship.

Her motivation is personal, driven by the desire to make her family proud and the commitment to realise her dreams that she's held since she was five years old.

"What motivates me is making my family proud and putting in the hard work... knowing it’ll be all worth it always motivates me."

We asked Nagwa how she manages her time, keeping her grades up and focusing on school while engaging in long and intense training sessions.

“When I finished practice while I was in the training camp, I spent the night looking back on what I missed in school.

Also, if I don't have any fencing practice in the morning, I try to attend as many classes as possible before I need to return to practice.”

For Nagwa, success is about prioritising her commitments. Her determination to excel academically compels her to dedicate evenings after training to catch up on her studies.

By being a student at CGA she is able to utilise the adaptable class schedules, which allow her to access recorded classes and complete homework at her convenience.

Winning Four Championship Medals

Nagwa had a tough schedule at the African Nations Championship, competing non-stop for four days with intense training packed into the three days leading up to the events.

“As I was ranked in both cadets and juniors, I had to participate in 4 tournaments, maintaining good physical and mental health during this period to perform at my best. It wasn't easy, but the effort was worth it."

"Being CGA student played a significant role, as it made catching up on missed work easier and online from my camp. It allowed me to be away from classes for my tournaments, providing great relief knowing I could catch up on what I missed.”

At CGA, we understand the unique challenges faced by student-athletes. Our flexible learning options, including live group classes, 1-1 instruction, and asynchronous learning, allow athletes to balance their rigorous training and competition schedules with their academic commitments.

This flexibility ensures that they do not fall behind in their studies while pursuing their athletic dreams.

Sights Set On The Olympics

Nagwa sets her sights high, not just in sports but in her academic journey as well.

“I've always dreamed of going to the Olympics, which begins with setting small goals that lead to larger ones. I believe every achievement contributes to reaching my ultimate goals.

With the world championship coming up in April, the African tournament has motivated me and boosted my confidence that I can achieve significant results in such a major event.”

Her final piece of advice for young athletes trying to take on the challenge of their sports and studies is, "It may seem hard and very difficult, but working hard to achieve what you've always dreamed of, not giving up, learning from your mistakes, and getting back up after falling will make you stronger and enable you to achieve more. In the end, it will all be worth it."