Local fencers excel at nationals

Limpopo Fencing Association made history over the weekend with the first ever National Fencing Championships to be hosted in the province at the University of Limpopo’s Anglo Platinum Multipurpose Centre on Saturday and Sunday.
Moné McCabe from the local Firebird Fencing Club made the City of Stars proud with her outstanding performance. She achieved overall second place in the u.21 women’s epee category and a third place in the u.17 women’s foil category. Moné also shares the third place with team mate Caylin Duncan in the junior women’s foil category.
Charl Venter also took the overall third position on the podium in the senior men’s foil category.
The championships were the second last chance for fencers to collect enough points to qualify for the World Fencing Championships to be hosted in France next year.
Tersia Goosen from Firebird Fencing said it was an amazing experience to host the calibre of competition. “We planned thoroughly and worked hard to make it a success. We only received positive feedback for participants. We had Italian and American fencers residing in South Africa participating in the competition as well as South Africans from as far as Cape Town,” Goosen said.
She said it was the biggest competition Limpopo ever hosted. “We are proud to announce that the same competition will be hosted in Polokwane again next year,” she said.
Some other Limpopo fencers also made their appearance on the podium. Andrew Howitt shared the third place with Abraham Coetzee from Bloemfontein in the senior men’s sabre category. Danica Opperman took overall second place in the u.17 women’s foil category while Rona Schröder came second overall in the senior women’s epee category.
Eben Wagner shared the third place with Francois Campher from Western Cape in the u.17 men’s foil category.
Prior to the championships local fencers Andrew Howitt, Jaycey Pinn, Emile Schröder and Gordon Pinn passed their national fencing referee exams.

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