Fencing: Swine flu proves secret weapon for McKenzie

WHILE Scotland's Commonwealth Games squad have spent the past two weeks dodging dengue fever in Delhi, Edinburgh fencer Lisa McKenzie revealed a dose of tropical disease proved to be her secret weapon.

With fencing not part of the regular Games in Delhi, and while the majority of the Scottish contingent jetted off to India, McKenzie's chance for gold came at the Commonwealth Fencing Open Championships in Australia.

However, her medal bid appeared to be over before it had even begun with the 21-year-old foil specialist picking up swine flu on the plane to Melbourne.

McKenzie was eventually deemed to be too ill - and contagious - to take part in the team event but not before she had claimed her spot on the individual podium collecting silver. But rather than blame the illness for her stunted Commonwealth Games medal hunt, McKenzie believes her ailments actually helped her onto the podium Down Under.

"It was fantastic to get the medal in the individual event because I wasn't feeling well at all at the tournament," said McKenzie - who had claimed team silver at the 2006 Games.

"I know some people have said that swine flu hit them in different ways and sometimes it is not that bad. But it was definitely really bad for me, I felt awful.

"But in a strange way the swine flu actually helped me because I was really calm in the really important parts of the tournament.

"In the semi-final I had to fight one of the girls who is on the British squad with me, Claire Bennett, which was really hard and quite high-pressured, but I coped with it well and I was delighted to have got the medal."

McKenzie's display in Melbourne was a vast improvement on the ninth place she claimed in the corresponding event in Belfast four years ago, beating British teammate Bennett 15-11 in the semi-final before losing out to New Zealand's Ping Yuan.

And after returning to Edinburgh with a medal to declare the former Firrhill High School pupil insists she is heading firmly in the right direction with London 2012 in mind.

"I was really pleased with the way I fenced out in Melbourne because even in the final I felt like I could have won it," added McKenzie.

"I really feel like I am improving at that level and progressing well in the build up to London. In the next couple of months I want to try and get into the British squad for next year and I am feeling confident I can do that.

"Beating Claire (Bennett] out in Melbourne was a great boost for me with her being on the British team and everything is looking good now."

• Bank of Scotland Local Heroes is an initiative in partnership with SportsAid providing support and funding to 32 of Scotland's most talented developing athletes on their journey to London 2012 and beyond. To find out more about Bank of Scotland Local Heroes visit www.bankofscotland.co.uk/sponsorship

"In a strange way, the swine flu actually helped me because I was really calm"

LISA mckENZIE