IT’S not a sport with the local profile of Aussie Rules or rugby league but Queanbeyan’s young fencers more than held their own at last weekend’s Friendship Cup in Sydney.
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Last Saturday saw a 15-strong contingent from Queanbeyan’s Duel Fencing Club help bring home several gold medals from the international tournament – one of the largest junior fencing competitions in the world.
Competing under the ACT flag, Queanbeyan’s Oscar Curtis and Jackson Stanford were part of the tournament’s victorious boy’s under-13s Epee team.
Erin Frakes and Madison Soulcher were a key component of the girl’s under-13s gold medal winning Epee team while Marlow Meares, Hugo Curtis and Aiden McLachlin took gold in the boy’s under-11s Epee division.
Competitors from across the country as well as teams from China, New Zealand and Indonesia took part in the tournament.
And going up against national as well as international opponents, the efforts of Queanbeyan’s young fencers were particularly notable given the city’s only fencing club was established just last year.
“Considering this is only year two, I don’t think you could ask for a better result,” Duel Fencing Club instructor Hans Dimpel said.
“Just getting the kids up to a bit tournament in Sydney was pretty exciting but I did think they would do pretty well.”
Backing up the following day, siblings Marlow and Frida Meares also managed medal finishes at the NSW State Championships in Sydney on Sunday.
Adding to his team gold at the Friendship Cup, Marlow secured bronze in the individual under-11s boy’s Epee category while sister Frida grabbed silver in the under-11 girl’s Epee divison.
