Miller bags Junior World Cup bronze in Dourdan whilst Gladdish wins Moneteau U15 event

This weekend saw success abroad for two young British sabreurs in France.  Curtis Miller, (19 years old and from Camden Fencing Club,) won the bronze medal at the Junior World Cup in Dourdan and Laura Gladdish took the title in Moneteau.

Miller entered the direct elimination stage (of 128) ranked 26^th, having dropped a fight in the first round.  His progression to the round of 16 was comfortable, beating Maeda (JPN) 15-9, world number 13 Okunev (RUS) 15-4 and De Meo (ITA) 15-9.  Miller won a closer fight in the round of 16 against Lambert (FRA) 15-12 and then faced world number 45, Zatko (FRA) for a medal.  A tense battle followed but Miller prevailed 15-13.  In the fight off for the medals Miller was beaten 15-13 by world number 21, Schroedter (GER).  This result for the British fencer will surely see his world ranking climb from 24.  The competition was won by world number 7, Szatmari (HUN).

Elsewhere in France, Laura Gladdish, (14 years old and from Malling MX Fencing Club) took to the piste in Moneteau with twelve team mates.  She dropped two fights in the first round which left her ranked 13^th for the direct elimination and meant a bye straight through to the round of 32.  She then went on to beat Leclercq (FRA) 10-6 to make the round of 16.  A closer fight followed against the number 3 seed Diebold de Mellis (FRA) but Gladdish prevailed 10-9.  Isabel Turnbull (also from Malling MX Fencing Club) also made the round of 16 having dropped just 2 hits on the way.  Unfortunately she came unstuck 10-7 against the number 4 seed Crampe (FRA).  Gladdish wasn’t finished though and comfortably beat another French fencer in Latour 10-7 to guarantee a medal.  She then raced through her semi-final winning 10-4 against the number 2 seed, Gimalac (FRA) and took the title by the same score against yet another French fencer in Keiffer.

This was truly an outstanding weekend of international success for our young fencers.