National champions are often shaped by years of rigorous training, relentless determination, and an early start in their sport. But Umul Banin Nasry’s journey has been anything but typical.
Her path to fencing stardom began with a single spark: curiosity. Barely a month after picking up the sport, she won gold at the national fencing championships. Yet it was her triumph at last month’s 35th National Games that carried the deepest sense of accomplishment.
At just 21, Banin is now preparing for her international debut, with the chance to become Pakistan’s first Olympic fencer. Her rise has been deliberate, driven by unwavering commitment, relentless training, and steadfast family support, despite societal disapproval.
Her story began five years ago in Quetta, when she noticed women at her college performing “strange stepping movements”—fencing, a sport she had only ever seen online. She tried it and instantly fell in love. Encouraged by her coach, she entered the 4th National Fencing Championships, and her unexpected gold medal confirmed her decision to leave behind flag football, another sport she had played at the national level.
Banin immediately adopted the mindset of a champion: five hours of daily training, no excuses, no days off. In preparation for the national games, she trained tirelessly at Ayub National Stadium, even during the Covid-19 lockdown, when the stadium was otherwise empty.
“The first time I competed, I faced athletes who had trained abroad and had far more experience than me,” she told Dawn from Quetta, where she had resumed training after claiming four medals at the National Games in Karachi, including two golds. These victories followed her silver medal performance at the 2023 National Games in her hometown.
“I trained until I became mentally invincible, telling myself that my opponents are just athletes like me—nothing more.”
Her commitment came at a personal cost. The daily roundtrip to Ayub National Stadium would have cost roughly one thousand rupees—unaffordable for her. She solved this by walking 30 minutes to a checkpost and taking a rickshaw the rest of the way, facing stares and whispered criticism from society along the route.
Yet Banin’s family has been unwavering in their support. Hailing from Pakistan’s Hazara community, known for its sporting talent, her younger brother is a provincial Taekwondo champion, and her younger sister Maheen has also taken up fencing, winning a bronze medal for Team Navy at the National Games. Her eldest brother, Arif Nasry—the only non-athlete in the family—has been instrumental in her success, scouting for sponsors, filling financial gaps, and managing her social media presence to promote her achievements, despite minimal government recognition and unfulfilled promises of cash rewards.
Banin also credits Haji Muhammad Qasim, secretary of the Balochistan Fencing Association, who provides essential equipment imported from abroad and supports athletes when families question the value of medals. “Without him, I don’t think I would have gotten as far as I have,” she said.
Her coach, Mehmood Sharif, is another key influence. Only two years older than Banin, the 23-year-old is a two-time national champion and recently represented Pakistan at the Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh.
Banin’s international debut was postponed due to funding issues, but she hopes to travel to Iran early next year for intensive training before joining the national team for the Commonwealth Games in July and the Asian Games in September.
“My journey has just begun,” she said shortly after her national victories. She noted that access to electrical fencing equipment, typically used in competitions for precision scoring, gave her an edge over the manual equipment commonly used in training. Despite socioeconomic challenges, everything seems to be aligning for her to reach greater heights.
Banin sees her potential Olympic debut as more than a personal achievement—it will be a tribute to women who have been denied the chance to pursue their passions.
“When I succeed on the international stage, I want to silence those who say women don’t belong in sports or are immoral for participating. What men can do, women can do too, and I want every woman forced to stay at home to know that.”
