Lawson makes Espoo Top Sixteen as Melia Claims Barcelona Satellite Bronze
Senior Men’s Foil – Barcelona Satellite
Thirteen British fencers were amongst the field of seventy at this event over the weekend and Rhys Melia produced a medal winning performance to finish third. He won five of his six first round fights earning a bye through the round of 64. He then beat Varas (ARG) 15-11, Faye (FRA) 15-14 and Delbergue (ESP) 15-5 before losing his semi-final 15-10 to Llavador (ESP). Carlos Llavador went on to win the event by beating Martino Minuto (ITA) in the final. Melia shared the bronze medal position with former teammate, Alex Tofalides who now fences for Cyprus. Glen Ostacchini, Matthew Billing, Connor Head and Ben Peggs all made the round of 32; Richard Morris, Conor Sharman, Hussain Saddiq, Christopher Morris and David Standen were eliminated in the round of 64 but Kola Abidogun, Hugo Di Francesco and Shaun Alderman did not make it out of the poules.
Junior Women’s Epee – Espoo World Cup
Danielle Lawson claimed Britain’s best result in Espoo, Finland at the weekend where she finished ninth in a field of one hundred and seventy-six. Lawson won five of her six first round matches thus qualifying for the direct elimination stages. Her first round performance was enough to earn her a bye through the round of 256 and she went on to beat Grabher (AUT) 15-9, Loehr (GER) 15-14 and Botvinik (ISR) 15-7 before losing 15-8 to Vanbenthuysen (USA). Two American fencers contested the final which saw Catherine Nixon claim gold from teammate Giana Vierheller as the bronze medals went to Aliya Bayram (FRA) and Aizanat Murtazaeva (RUS).
Lydia Stanier, Elsa Phillipson, Bethan Plant, Charlie Follett, Kerenza Bryson and Charlotte Summers all made the round of 128 but Caitlin Philbin and Amelia McCormack were eliminated at the poule stage.
Eighteen countries entered the team event including Great Britain (Bryson, Lawson, Plant & Stanier). They received a bye through the round of 32 but then lost 45-36 to Germany. In the placings matches they beat Romania 45-32 and Turkey 45-44 before losing 45-37 to Switzerland to finish tenth. Ukraine claimed the gold medal by beating Italy as Russia defeated Israel for the bronze medal.
Junior Men’s Epee – Espoo World Cup
Nine British fencers took part in the men’s event in Finland at the weekend amongst a field of two hundred and thirty-four. Owen Jordan achieved the best result by finishing fifty-fifth. Four victories from six fights in the first round was enough to earn him a bye through the round of 256. He then beat Jurka (CZE) 15-8 before losing 15-14 to Opalka (POL) in the round of 64. William East and Aml Sinclair made the round of 128; Benjamin Schneider, Matthew Cooper and Robert Maclennan were eliminated in the round of 256, but Joshua Stevens, James Russell and Matthew Dickinson did not progress past the poules. Bronze medallist from last weekend’s senior World Cup in Heidenheim, Koki Kano (JPN) won the event, beating Cosimo Martini (ITA) in the final. Georgiy Bruev (RUS) and Romain Cannone (FRA) shared the bronze medal position.
The twenty-three countries in the team event included Great Britain (Cooper, Dickinson, Jordan & Sinclair). They faced Kazakhstan in the round of 32 and lost 45-39 to finish nineteenth. Italy beat Germany to the gold medal whilst Russia took out France for the bronze.
Senior Men’s Sabre – Padua World Cup
One hundred and eighty-three fencers lined up for this event in Italy at the weekend, including ten from Great Britain. James Honeybone claimed the best results by making the top 32. He won four of his six first round fights before beating De Visscher (BEL) 15-11 and Shengelia (GEO) 15-10 to make the second day of the event. He was joined in the round of 64 by Curtis Miller who claimed the same number of poule victories as Honeybone and then beat Redwanz (GER) 15-14 to claim his place. Miller then went out 15-13 to Badea (ROU) but Honeybone impressed by beating another Romanian, Dolniceanu 15-12. He lost to American, Seitz 15-6 in the next round. Andras Szatmari (HUN) beat Mojtaba Abedini (IRI) to take the title as two Koreans shared the bronze medal placing, Kim Junghwan and Oh Sanguk.
Will Deary made the second preliminary knockout fight; Soji Aiyenuro, Jonathan Webb and Kirk Slankard made the first, but Nicholas Howes, James Craze, Ethan Ren and Zachary Hamilton did not make it out of the poules.
Twenty-two countries were involved in the team event including Great Britain (Deary, Miller, Slankard & Webb). They cruised past Ireland 45-9 before losing 45-33 to Germany. In the placings matches they lost 45-42 to Georgia, beat Turkey by the same score and then lost 45-28 to China to finish fourteenth. Korea just beat Italy 45-44 to claim the title as Hungary beat Iran 45-32 for the bronze medal.
Senior Women’s Foil – Gdansk World Cup
Three British fencers were amongst the field of one hundred and seventy-seven in Poland at the weekend. Kate Beardmore was the only one to make it through the poules stage as Philippa Mullins and Katie Smith were eliminated. Beardmore then lost 15-11 to Abdrakhmanova (RUS) in the first preliminary knockout fight. Svetlana Tripapina (RUS) won the event beating Pauline Ranvier (FRA) in the final. Astrid Guyart (FRA) and Lee Kiefer (USA) were the bronze medalists.
The nineteen entries into the team event did not include one from Great Britain. Italy won the title, beating France in the final as Russia beat the USA to the bronze medal.
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