![Newcastle's Genevieve Janse van Rensburg. Picture supplied Newcastle's Genevieve Janse van Rensburg. Picture supplied](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/gNecaFSpqFSLkittedmeiY/a3f37e15-e8a3-4531-aec7-a17e171ddd21.jpeg/r0_115_1290_857_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
FENCING coach Bill Ronald says he was "immediately impressed" by Newcastle's Genevieve Janse van Rensburg when they first crossed paths.
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Four years down the track and Ronald believes she potentially could have gone to Olympic qualifiers as Australia's top-ranked female in the epee discipline.
And it's why the former Games representative backs the 20-year-old to make a strong start on debut in Paris, with fencing the first part of multi-sport event modern pentathlon.
"She's simply very good at it [fencing]," Ronald told the Newcastle Herald.
"A lot of it's instinctive and she's got a very good sense of, we call it distance and timing, just being able to put the point on the target.
"It's also really important because it's the first-up event in modern pentathlon. So a good outcome in the fence takes you onto the swim in a good position. So we're hoping in Paris, after the fence and the swim, that she's very highly ranked. I'm confident she'll get a good start."
![Genevieve Janse van Rensburg. Genevieve Janse van Rensburg.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/gNecaFSpqFSLkittedmeiY/f311d62e-58b4-4a44-8e4a-f157e86898b7.jpeg/r0_417_1200_1251_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Janse van Rensburg, the sole Aussie in the modern pentathlon draw for 2024, already had a background in swimming, cross-country running and equestrian.
More recently she's enjoyed a rise up the fencing ranks.
"For a period of time she was ranked No.1 in Australian fencing in the women's epee discipline itself," Ronald said.
"She had to change her participation in the domestic competition to suit her commitments with modern pentathlon overseas, but there was a good chance she could have gone to the Olympic qualifiers for fencing."
Ronald admires Janse van Rensburg's "huge commitment" with training sessions regularly held in Sydney.
Singleton-born Janse van Rensburg started primary school at St Catherine's before relocating to Newcastle East public. High school years were spent at Hunter Valley Grammar. She now studies psychology at the University of Newcastle.
Her local sporting connections have included Mount Sugarloaf Pony Club and Newcastle Fencing Club.
Modern Pentathlon begins at North Paris Arena on August 8 before moving to Chateau de Versailles (9-11).