NEWS: Fencers make their point on national stage

PLYMOUTH Fencing Club youngsters proved a cut above the rest hitting double figures in medals at the Leon Paul national junior series.

The city club had taken 16 fencers to the event and came away from Millfield School with almost as many medals, bagging two golds, two silvers and six bronze medals.

Their haul, achieved without the likes of internationals Tim Andrews and Tia Simms-Lymn, who have already finished top of the rankings in 2010, ensured the pair's team-mates finished with star billing at the Somerset-staged tournament.

There was a clean sweep of podium places by Plymouth in the girls under-11 competition.

Taking the gold lead for Plymouth was first-placed Alice Simmonds, with team-mates Annie Crocker and Catherine Bishop second and third, respectively.

All three girls, in addition to being members of Plymouth Fencing, are pupils at Plymouth College.

As a result, in the rankings Simms-Lymn is first followed by Bishop, with Simmonds third, while Crocker has climbed to fifth place.
In the under-nine girls section Emma Andrews, sister of Tim, took the bronze medal, which puts her top of the rankings.

Andrews was tied with Katie Dibb from Plymouth College, who was equal third.

In the under-nine boys, namesake Benjamin Andrews secured the silver which elevates him to top of the rankings in his age category.

Joshua Dibb, also from Plymouth, took bronze.

In his first event, Glen Park student Ben Wilkins finished a creditable fifth.

In the under-11 boys category Alex Sells was third, with his bronze putting him fifth in the national rankings.

In the under-13 boys Joshua Wrigley, who attends Devonport High School for Boys, won gold, which takes him up to fifth in the rankings.

In the under-15 girls Devonport High School for Girls' student Madeline Bond was third, with her bronze lifting her up to sixth in the rankings.

Plymouth Fencing Club coach Andy Hill was impressed with his young charges' performances at Millfield.

He said: "With one event to go before Christmas, individuals have wrapped up two age groups and two others are top with one event to go.

"We have a total of 34 fencers in the national Leon Paul rankings, with 13 in the top 10 of various age groups."