![She will join a specialised high school in September with a compressed work schedule that ends at 2pm, keeping afternoons free for training](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/2DBAILC5HBDOFGLRQARPEQNDIU.png?smart=true&auth=697146f38a62ba31f73bf00f31958c37f75e7cc086c70a3663c48f2e699a02d4&width=400&height=225)
![Kelis Assembe Ndoum, 15, from Seine-Saint-Denis in France, is a rising star in the sport of fencing. All photos: Yassine Benhoumane](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/YJXKEUDDIRGPVFJ5TKC4TJBAHQ.png?smart=true&auth=921e25f98fef2cbb5a920c523523cb3ac4fcb7bdb160616e53bbe6e61be4ca78&width=400&height=225)
![Ndoum's hometown of Seine-Saint-Denis is an impoverished suburb on the outskirts of Paris where a handful of Olympic events will be held this summer](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/SOGDPTKHPBC7ZEKZUCOMZB62QA.png?smart=true&auth=1d6d638bac3fef312b4ab2b492af95cbfa71ac6af326aaa04e8a1d87104ff89c&width=400&height=225)
!['I'd love to take part in the Olympic Games as an athlete one day,' she told The National](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/MRBPHGR5YFGPRMMIQZGJKFZZ2Y.png?smart=true&auth=15008ebf05040db9e9404fcaea490d55df99e0994d9312560ff4e1b010da2ac9&width=400&height=225)
![Ndoum in action](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/5JUJ2IUUWFG5RAPQOEDOVTVBDM.png?smart=true&auth=1846369f2648167ceadaa989563bb01157e4c13afbff4842c3fb5ca712f184b6&width=400&height=225)
![She will join a specialised high school in September with a compressed work schedule that ends at 2pm, keeping afternoons free for training](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/2DBAILC5HBDOFGLRQARPEQNDIU.png?smart=true&auth=697146f38a62ba31f73bf00f31958c37f75e7cc086c70a3663c48f2e699a02d4&width=400&height=225)
![Kelis Assembe Ndoum, 15, from Seine-Saint-Denis in France, is a rising star in the sport of fencing. All photos: Yassine Benhoumane](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/YJXKEUDDIRGPVFJ5TKC4TJBAHQ.png?smart=true&auth=921e25f98fef2cbb5a920c523523cb3ac4fcb7bdb160616e53bbe6e61be4ca78&width=400&height=225)
![Ndoum's hometown of Seine-Saint-Denis is an impoverished suburb on the outskirts of Paris where a handful of Olympic events will be held this summer](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/SOGDPTKHPBC7ZEKZUCOMZB62QA.png?smart=true&auth=1d6d638bac3fef312b4ab2b492af95cbfa71ac6af326aaa04e8a1d87104ff89c&width=400&height=225)
!['I'd love to take part in the Olympic Games as an athlete one day,' she told The National](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/MRBPHGR5YFGPRMMIQZGJKFZZ2Y.png?smart=true&auth=15008ebf05040db9e9404fcaea490d55df99e0994d9312560ff4e1b010da2ac9&width=400&height=225)
![Ndoum in action](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/5JUJ2IUUWFG5RAPQOEDOVTVBDM.png?smart=true&auth=1846369f2648167ceadaa989563bb01157e4c13afbff4842c3fb5ca712f184b6&width=400&height=225)
![She will join a specialised high school in September with a compressed work schedule that ends at 2pm, keeping afternoons free for training](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/2DBAILC5HBDOFGLRQARPEQNDIU.png?smart=true&auth=697146f38a62ba31f73bf00f31958c37f75e7cc086c70a3663c48f2e699a02d4&width=400&height=225)
Cut and thrust of Olympic Games set to boost a Paris fencer with humble roots
Seine-Saint-Denis is the home of high-profile competitions but it has the lowest access to sports infrastructure in France
![Sunniva Rose](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Fthenational%2Fd93fbde0-cf2f-4d2e-acc7-b14e52792d7e.png?smart=true&auth=57edc0da25baac19cd43f67c9290ec8b1bbaefeb3d446f19573f3fc84057b92e&width=70&height=70)
Sunniva Rose
July 17, 2024
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