Claude Seguin
Fencing (2007)

Claude Seguin has consistently produced Saskatchewan athletes for national teams at the cadet, junior and senior levels since 1991 and has coached Canadian teams at a number of international competitions.

Claude was born in Sudbury, Ontario, in 1948 and at the age of seven, he is seen with his sisters Louise and Pierette.

Claude studied sabre fencing with Tibor Peza, in Budapest in 1984, the first of three visits to Bulgaria, and he was learning from the best because Peza was a former world champion and Olympic champion.

He coached fencing in Ontario, then in Manitoba, came to Saskatchewan in 1979 and he earned his Canadian certificate as a fencing master in 1986. At most tournaments, Claude was not allowed to compete since
he was a professional, but in some meets in Canada and United States, professionals were accepted and the black suit was a designation of a professional.

Claude taught in many different venues, including one where he worked with the a theatre group at a University of Saskatchewan clinic. He was the coach of Saskatchewan fencing teams at the Western Canada Summer Games in 1982, 1987 and 1990 and at the 1991, 1995 and 1999 Canada Games. The most satisfying was in 1992 where he exchanges high-fives with his athletes who finished first overall in the tournament at Winnipeg.

He was coach of the Pan-American junior team at Meridia, Venezuela, in 1992 and also took a team back to Venezuela in 1999. Claude , in his straw hat, takes his international trips in stride and aside from going to Venezuela, he has also coached in tournaments in Sweden, Italy, England, Germany, Turkey, France, Spain, Hungary, Japan, United States and Switzerland, 20 global missions in all.

Allan Francis, who was inducted into the Saskatoon Sports Hall of Fame a year ago, represented Canada at the 1992 Summer Olympic in Barcelona, Spain, and is among the many that Claude has elevated to international recognition.

Claude set up his own training quarters, Salle Seguin, in downtown Saskatoon, sharing a moment with his team members. He has been named Fencing Academy of Canada junior development coach of the year four times - -1992, 1993, 1994 and 1996 - and is currently junior national coach for epee.

His wife, Lynn, has also been prominent on the fencing scene, still conducts classes, and she and Claude take pride in a family of five - Emily, Jacynthe. Bree, Aaron and Jean-Pierre. As a father, Claude's biggest thrill came in coaching Jean-Pierre to the world cadet championship in 2002.