CHRYSTALL Nicoll has long since established herself as the number one sabreur in Britain.

On the major international stage though, it is very different indeed and she has flattered to deceive – yet the Dorset fencer knows it’s high time she put that right at the World Championships in Catania, Sicily, which starts today.

The 25-year-old had a breakthrough season last year and racked up two World Cup bronze medals, but at the World Championships in Paris she could only manage 22nd place, one higher than her then world ranking, but not acceptable according to the former Brentwood School pupil.

At this summer’s European Championships in Sheffield, Nicoll reached the last 16, having been forced to overcome compatriot Sophie Williams in the previous round, but again she wasn’t happy.

And as she gears up for another bite of the World Championships cherry, Nicoll is determined to force her way into the top eight in Catania, Sicily.

“Things have been good, not quite as good as I would have hoped at the beginning of the season but looking towards the worlds I’m happy with how the preparation has gone,” said Nicoll – who like the rest of the GB fencing team is supported by Beazley.

“At the European Championships it was not great to have to fence a team-mate but it’s notoriously hard not to get tough draws. The fight was mentally challenging because we obviously knew how each other fenced. Unfortunately my last-16 fight didn’t go according to plan though against a girl from Hungary.

“I wasn’t happy with that, but I got the video footage back and went through it with my coach so there have been some really good learning experiences from it too.

“I learnt a lot of things that I could correct so that has to be good. In Italy I have a target of the last eight and that’s definitely achievable. “But you have to just focus on fencing and you can’t be thinking about qualifying or making targets, just concentrate on making every hit.”

At the European Championships in Sheffield, Nicoll got a taste of what to expect at next year’s Olympics with a partisan home crowd turning up in the Steel City.

But while Nicoll was pleased to get an idea of what to expect next year, having flown to Beijing to sample the Olympic atmosphere, she’s convinced London 2012 will be on a completely different scale.

“It was good to compete in Sheffield, it was quite a good turnout,” added Nicoll. “I don’t think it was anything like the scale we’ll see for the Olympics but it was still a good experience.

“Beijing was really, really invaluable for me, you can’t really appreciate an Olympic Games until you are there.”

n British Fencing is proudly supported by specialist Lloyd’s insurer Beazley. Go to <&bh"http://www.beazleybritishfencing.com/">beazleybritishfencing.com<&eh> for up-to-date fencing news, pictures and athlete blogs.