Hilda Deswarte

Hilda Deswarte was born in Nieuwpoort and began fencing in her teens, joining Cercle d’Escrime Ostende alongside her older sister, Suzanne. She was the runner-up in the 1926 national foil championships in the women’s tournament, and in 1928, was chosen for the first female fencing delegation to represent Belgium at the Olympic Games. In Amsterdam, she competed in the individual foil event and finished in fifth place in her pool with two wins and four defeats.