SINGAPORE — Battling fever and flu, Singaporean fencer Lim Wei Wen did not expect to do well at the inaugural 2016 FIE (International Fencing Federation) Epee Satellite World Cup when he arrived in Taipei late last week for the tournament.

But the 31-year-old surprised himself by taking joint bronze at the two-day event over the weekend, which featured 97 male epee fencers from countries like Australia, Hong Kong, the United States, Canada and Taiwan. He then helped Singapore to a team bronze in a separate, non-FIE competition at the same venue yesterday.

Ranked 146th in the world, Lim told TODAY over the phone from Taiwan that he had fallen sick during his previous competition, the Qatar Grand Prix, a week ago. He was also suffering from a knee injury that he had sustained while competing in that event.

“I was in really bad shape,” he explained. “Of course, I am very happy (with my result). I didn’t expect to go to the top four.

“This is actually a test event for the Universiade (World University Games) next year, but they made it a World Cup Satellite event; it is a world-ranking point event and is actually very high level.”

A Satellite event is one of five categories of World Cup competitions sanctioned by the FIE. Only the top eight will be awarded ranking points, with bronze medallists eligible for two.

National team-mate Kiria Tikanah Abdul Rahman also made the podium. The 16-year-old finished joint third — out of 44 competitors — in the female epee competition. What made her bronze feat all the more remarkable was the fact that she had not been able to train vigorously for the competition because she was studying for her O-Level exams, which ended last month.

“I did not expect to win because this is my first time in the competition, especially with an Olympian also competing,” she told TODAY.

Kiria, who finished in the top eight of the Asian Junior and Cadet Fencing Championships last year, was “delighted” with the medal, and hopes to be selected for the South-east Asian (SEA) Games next year, after missing out on it last year.

Lim’s achievement represented his second podium finish at a Satellite event. He became Singapore’s first medallist at that level when he took bronze in a competition in Dublin, Ireland, last November.

This Taiwan leg capped an intense month for Lim, who also participated in an event in Hong Kong prior to his Qatar and Taipei competitions. His 96th-placed finish — out of 170 competitors — in Doha also meant he obtained 1.5 points. The Grand Prix is two levels above a Satellite event.

“I am really exhausted and really miss home,” he chuckled.

“When I hurt my knee in Doha, it was really painful and I couldn’t even walk (but) I still managed to get a rank there, so I am very happy with the result.

“I told myself this (Taipei competition) is the last one (for the year), so I needed to finish it (strongly).”

Lim is also setting his sights on the SEA Games, where he is targeting a first individual gold after silvers in 2007 and last year.

“I am definitely looking forward to the SEA Games,” he said. “I am really very hungry for the gold and I believe I am so close.”

Beyond that, he is aiming to do well at the Asian Games, which will be held in Indonesia in 2018, and also take a shot at qualifying for the 2020 Olympics.

Lim, who has been training full-time for almost three years, claimed Singapore’s first Asian Games podium finish in fencing in 2014 when he marked his Asiad debut with a joint-bronze in the individual men’s epee.

“I train six days a week, twice or thrice a day,” he revealed.

“The season (next year) will be really busy for me; I will be travelling more than I did this year (to compete at world-ranking events).

“Training is very tough … (but) I just tell myself I need to know what I am doing this for — I am representing my country and this is something really huge for me.”