I recognise the outstanding achievements of Bermagui’s Daniel Iliffe, an extraordinary young athlete whose talent, determination and community spirit have already taken him to the world stage.

At just 14 years old, Daniel represented Australia at the 2022 Commonwealth Fencing Championships, winning three bronze medals across cadet, junior and senior categories — a remarkable achievement for such a young competitor.

Daniel has continued to go from strength to strength. He has represented Australia in Dubai, Uzbekistan, London, Riyadh and China, earning seven international medals and establishing himself as one of Australia’s brightest fencing prospects.

In 2025, Daniel made history as the first athlete since the founding of the Australian Fencing Federation in 1949 to win the Cadet, Junior and Open national titles in a single season — an extraordinary feat he backed up again this year.

Daniel is taking the next step in his journey after being recruited by Penn State University to join its prestigious fencing team.

The Bermagui community has supported him every step of the way. His success is a testament not only to his dedication, but to the strength of community backing behind him. We wish Daniel every success as he pursues his Olympic dream.