Champion of champions Connie Adam is proudly taking on new challenges and inspiring others as she celebrates her 92nd birthday today.

Eastern Daily Press: Connie Adam playing badminton. Picture: Maurice GrayConnie Adam playing badminton. Picture: Maurice Gray (Image: Archant)

Connie, from Norwich, has achieved fame through 40 years of World championship fencing in which she gained more than 140 medals and trophies for Great Britain.

While she has decided to give up her world trotting activities, she is proudly keeping active with a range of hobbies, including badminton, aquafit and bridge.

Connie said: "I decided to give up fencing (sabre and epee) due to having carry 18 kilos of kit and equipment, travel costs to airports, flights and hotel bills, which all came out of my basic pension which didn't go far."

Connies was born in 1927 and brought up in Norwich and after getting married aged 20, spent 20 years being a housewife, trying to fit in part time work and bring up three children on very little money.

Eastern Daily Press: Connie Adam during her days as a champion fencer. Picture: Maurice GrayConnie Adam during her days as a champion fencer. Picture: Maurice Gray (Image: Archant)

She said, "By the time the children left home I was into my 40s and decided to "do something" and eventually got a job teaching dance styles, including ballroom, Latin, disco and tap and went on to sport skiing with a school, keeping fit and learning all the time.

It was during her early 50s when she spotted an advert in the local paper advertising fencing courses.

From then on Connie began to realise her capabilities and went from strength to strength.

She began to encourage others, particularly senior citizens, to take up activities.

Because of her achievements she proudly displayed her medals and trophies, won fencing, and even displayed press cuttings and certificates in her downstairs loo!

Asked about some of her proudest achievements, she answered: "Being selected as an Olympic torch bearer in 2012, to come third in the World Championships Fencing 2011, winning two bronze medals at the European Veterans Championships in Italy".

"My proudest moment of all was when I was the first woman to be given Freedom of the City of Norwich in 2010," she said.

During all this busy time, Connie was battling cancer, having had surgical procedures and chemotherapy.

However, she still encourages others to beat a challenge.