Peter Osvath

Peter has been involved in all aspects of fencing for over 40 years. First as an elite athlete: New Zealand Champion (Epee and Sabre), Australian Champion (Sabre), with AFF Circuit Titles in Foil and Sabre. His most recent success as a competitive athlete was a bronze medal in the Australian Open Championships epee as a 50+ year old. He is an FIE accredited referee in all three weapons and has refereed at two Olympic Games (Los Angeles and Sydney). He also qualified as an ACC Level 2 foil coach.

Among his countless administrative roles, he was President of the ACT Fencing Association, and subsequently of Fencing Victoria, as well as a Director of the AFF for over a decade. He has chaired the AFF Selection Panel for almost two decades and Chaired the AFF Refereeing Commission for 12 years.

In his professional life, Peter is a PhD qualified research scientist, running a team that devises anti-counterfeiting technologies to protect Australian and foreign banknotes. He recently completed an MBA, which should stand him in good stead in ensuring that the High Performance Program operates effectively.

Peter is married to dual Olympian Evelyn Halls. He has two children actively involved in fencing – Daniel (19), a promising foillist and Gabriella (almost 4), who prefers foam sabres.

HPP National Coach - Foil

A student of the late Prof. John Fethers, David achieved his ACC Level 2 in 1990 from the Oceania Fencing Masters Academy - dux in all three weapons, both theory and practical. While at University of Melbourne Law School, he was a Full Blue many times, for results in foil, épée and sabre. Recently he was the only man in the AFF top 5 in more than one weapon.

A 3-weapon FIE referee, he has refereed Olympic and Paralympic Games, World and Commonwealth Championships, Grand Prix and World Cup events, and been Referees Director at events including World Veterans Championships.  In addition to Olympic Solidarity Coaching courses, he has spent time in Europe and China, especially central Italy, observing and studying coaching. He has been part of many Australian Team tours, both privately and as a Team Manager/Coach.

A keen student of current coaching practice, he is current in international refereeing norms, and has an abiding interest in the application of sports science to athlete development.

Since 2003 David's students, of all ages, genders and weapons, have achieved 15 AFF High Performance Awards, 80 national titles, plus Commonwealth medals. International success in the conventional weapons is the challenge, and the HPP is part of meeting this challenge.

David does consulting work in research, and is a private tutor in many subjects.  He also tries to make time to entertain nieces and nephews and his friends’ small children.

David Mok

Assistant coaches:

NSW -TBC
QLD - Simon Leitch
WA - Marek Jamrozy

HPP National Coach - Epee

Vlad Sher

Assistant coaches:

QLD - Paul Crook
WA - Tuko Maia

Vlad born in 1954 in the Republic of Belarus (Former USSR)

Graduated from Belarussian State Institute of Sport in 1977 with Bachelor Degree in Fencing and as Maitre D’Armes d’Escrime (Fencing Master Coach).

Vlad is Married with one daughter that has taken up fencing herself.

Career Highlights:

National Epee Coach from 1994. Represented Australia at four consecutive Olympic Games (1996 -2008) as Head Coach - Fencing.

Highlights of results achieved by fencers coached by me:

• Evelyn Halls - eight medals in FIE World Cups & 2000-2004 Olympic Qualifier)
• Amber Parkinson (Silver & Bronze medallist at Asian Fencing Championship & 2008 Olympic Qualifier)
• Charlotte Walker & Martin Camilleri ( winners of Junior World Cups)
• Sarah Osvath - Olympic qualifier 1996
• Gerry Adams - Top 16 Sydney Olympics.
• Seamus Robinson -  Top 16 Havana World Fencing Championships 2003 and 2004 Olympic qualifier.

Enjoys cooking and gardening as hobbies.

HPP National Coach - Sabre

Antonio began working as a fencing teacher in 1994 in Kassel Germany under the French Maestro Dominique Gauville. In 1995 he was employed by Sicilian Club, Mazara where many of his students went on to win Italian Championships in both Foil and Sabre.

After the Sydney Olympic Games, he was asked by the Italian Fencing Federation to become a coach of the Italian National Team; first working with Juniors but later also with the Seniors. During the period between the Sydney and Athens Olympic Games many of his own students won medals in the European and World Junior Championships. He also contributed to many of the Italian team victories around the world during this period.

He was selected as a Italian Sabre Coach to the Athens Olympic Games where Italy won gold in the individual men’s sabre and silver in the team men’s sabre event.

In 2005 Antonio was employed by the Italian Federation as a National Coach to the Italian women’s foil team. In 2006 the Italian Federation employed him as a national coach to the Italian men’s and women’s sabre in addition to the women’s foil team. Coached Gulotta, Trillini (bronze and silver medallist at the World Championships) and Pigliapoco in womans foil. He also co-coached Tarantino and the womans foil team.

"I thank the AFF for the opportunity to be part of the High Performance Plan and I'm proud to guide the Australian National Sabre Team" said Antonio when he was selected as Australian National Sabre Coach.

Antonio Signorello

Assistant coaches: