By Ian Poh

THE score is even with half a minute remaining to the end of the bout. There is everything to lose. A momentary lapse in concentration - that is all is needed to tip it either way, a tie balancing on a knife's edge. After a terse exchange of thrusts, parries and ripostes, and a last-gasp flurry of attempts by each party to land some final strikes on the other, time is called. The end result is 12 'hits' scored on the opponent's body compared to her 11, and personal record books have been rewritten.

The sport in question is fencing, and the competition which had just been concluded was the inaugural Commonwealth Junior Championships hosted in Chennai, India, in January 2006. Tay Yu Ling - then 18, fresh out of junior college and was about to go to university - had just clinched a title which she considers among the most satisfying and memorable personal achievements to date in her fencing career.

'I remember it was a very surreal feeling, to come out on top after all that mental and physical strain,' says the Singapore national fencer, who fences with a foil, a light-thrusting weapon. There are two other fencing events which are contested at Olympic level: the heavier thrusting epee, and the light cutting and slashing sabre. 'Each bout is a stern test of mental fortitude, and it is more about your desire to win it than the fencer's build or height, or any tangible factors.'

Two years on and strengthened with numerous more competitive experiences under her belt, Yu Ling, whose fencing journey began way back after the turn of the century when she picked up, in her words, the 'safe combat sport' after entering secondary school, remains level-headed about her achievements. 'Despite having trained for so many years, I have yet to completely grasp the art of fencing. There is still so much I have yet to learn.'

Now a third-year Biosciences student at NTU, Yu Ling has honed her skills and picked up more experience along with her teammates in Singapore's national women's fencing team. Under the guidance of Russian coach Viacheslav Bobok, two SEA Games team gold medals in 2005 and 2007, either side of a fifth-place team finish and eighth-place individual finish for Yu Ling at the 2006 Asian Games, were won.

But qualification for the zenith of sporting achievement that is the Olympics is still forthcoming, and there is some way to improve yet.

Up-and-coming challenges looming on the horizon are the Asian Fencing Championship at the end of this year, and the Commonwealth and Asian games, both in 2010. Yu Ling has set her sights on a medal at the latter.

There is little let up to Yu Ling's fencing commitment now as compared to back in 2005, but she has passed a milestone in reaching her 21st birthday. Now, she is able to focus her efforts on training for the senior category. No longer does she have to juggle the unyielding 'tornado' of participation in senior, junior and cadet categories. 'In the first two years of school, I used to have to travel overseas for competition on average once a month.'

Training and competitive participation are no less demanding. With the national team, Yu Ling has twice a week gym training sessions on Mondays and Thursdays, and fencing practice on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays for up to three hours at night. The pace does not let up during school breaks either.

After sitting slightly earlier for, and completing all, her exam papers towards the end of her second academic year this May, she went with the national team - visiting seven countries - to take part in international competitions. Travelling around the world has not been a holiday, despite the strong touristy attraction of socialist countries such as Cuba, arguably the most eye-catching destination listed on the itinerary. It was all about increasing exposure and improving skills for competitions coming up at the end of the year, and picking up ranking points in the international circuit as an added bonus.

Yu Ling credits her parents for helping her to follow her passion, both time and money- wise. When not overseas competing, she has to be in three places on any given school day - home in the mid-east, school in the west, and training in the south-east. And going overseas to compete is expensive - Yu Ling has to top up costs which aren't covered by her Singapore Sports Council grants. Essentially, a schedule which is unworkable without the constant car rides and cash from parents.

Yu Ling, who is also interested in dance and youth issues, has yet to decide if she will go into fencing full-time after completing her studies. But it seems the sport will be part of her life for the foreseeable future, regardless of the exact extent: 'If my priorities in life suddenly change, I would probably spend not as much time on the sport,' she says.

What traits does she deem valuable in a fencer? 'I think the will to dominate your opponent is essential.'

After examining the way Yu Ling handles studies, life and her love for fencing, one concludes that she has missed out something in this assessment - mastery over oneself. It is a fine balance she has achieved to commendable effect.