The Aston Clinton star turned 34 on the penultimate day of competition, where she reached the quarter-finals of the women’s sabre category A competition to close out her individual performances that had earlier saw her take bronze in the épée event and another top eight finish in the foil.

She also took bronzes in the mixed team épée and foil events at the start of the week but postponed any celebrations until Sunday afternoon, as she closed out with a quarter-final finish in the women’s sabre team event.

It was a near-perfect start to another Paralympic qualification cycle, with Collis targeting a fifth Games after making her debut at London 2012.

And while Collis was left slightly disappointed at the manner of her exit from the sabre competition, the Aston Clinton native is taking plenty of confidence into the new cycle.

“A top eight finish is my first one at Euros actually,” she said. “In a way, I'm quite pleased, but the manner in which I went out was disappointing. I got battered, basically. I just don't think I brought my best game to that last fight.

“I went in with a certain set of tactics and discovered that wasn't the right plan. I learned a lot. I think I have a much better idea straight away of what I'd do next time against that.

“That's the nature of fencing. Sometimes you get it right, sometimes you get it wrong and the other person gets it right.

“This is only the first LA qualifier. It's still a decent result. There are only four people who are going to get a better result today, so I can't be too unhappy.

“From now on, qualification is just go, go, go. Weirdly, we have a bit of a break to the next one, but after that it's going to feel non-stop all the way to LA.

“You have to pace yourself a little bit and not get too hung up on things or think each competition is life or death. It's part of the process and you've just got to see it as that.”

As a four-time Paralympian, Collis knows exactly what to expect over the next 18 months as she bids for a place at another Games but the 34-year-old is determined to return from across the pond with the one thing that has so far eluded her: a Paralympic medal.

It is exactly the motivation she knows she will need in the coming months, having already battled through health issues to reach the European Championships in Cardiff.

She added: “I’ve gone to four Games now and so far I've not managed to come back with a medal. The obvious aim in LA is for me to come back with some silverware.

“That’s something I certainly think about every time I'm doing cardio, which I absolutely find the hardest. It's definitely something you cling to.

“I imagine myself succeeding, I think about myself losing, and then I'm reminded why I have to do this cardio session."

Collis celebrated her birthday with an escape room after completing her final competition. She left a week in Cardiff beaming at the experience of a home European Championships and hopes it can inspire more people into the sport.

She said: “It’s been incredible. There's been so much support here. The volunteers have been absolutely fantastic. They've made the event.

“It's been great to see people here, and we've had some schools come in as well. It's helped get more eyes on the sport because para fencing is so incredible, but not that many people have had the opportunity to see it, especially live.

“To have an event here in the UK is ideal. If anybody sees it and wants to give it a go, please get in touch with British Fencing, because there are more opportunities and places to do it than ever.”

The Para Fencing European Championships, supported by funding from UK Sport through The National Lottery, and Welsh Government, was held in Cardiff on the 6th-11th October 2026, seeing athletes from across Europe compete in the first qualification event for the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games