The first problem I faced in fencing was the financial problem. When I wanted to go to the tournaments, even in the domestic competitions, you have to pay an entry fee. Everything was difficult at the beginning. This sport is expensive. You need to buy equipment, and when I started to go out for international competitions, it was not financed by sources like the government or private organisations. It was really hard, but I also wanted to achieve something. My parents, especially my mother decided that we will either dedicate our 100 per cent to the sport, or quit. They supported me a lot financially and encouraged me to try until the end, even though it was very difficult in the beginning stages. Sometimes, I went to competitions by buying my tickets at the last minute, and arriving just one day before the event. Then, my parents would send me money to use for the duration of my stay at the tournament.