Newham Swords Fencing Club, run by Olympians Pierre Harper and Linda Strachan, has had its best season ever at cadet, junior and senior level.
At Senior Level, GB International and Junior Commonwealth Gold Medallist, Kamal Minott, won the London Senior Foil, the Invicta Senior Open, the Birmingham International Tournament and took bronze at the Senior National Championships before being crowned National U23 Champion. He has now been recently selected to represent England at the Senior Commonwealth Fencing Championships which will take place in Australia in November. “To achieve all of this in one season, at just 20 years of age, is outstanding”, said Head Coach, Pierre Harper.
Club mate, and former Junior World Championships Team Bronze Medallist, Rajan Rai, has also been selected for the Senior Commonwealths.
At Junior Level, GB International, Alice Campbell, took double gold at the UK School Games before being selected to represent GB at the Junior European Championships and Junior Worlds. She has now been selected to represent England at the Junior Commonwealth Fencing Championships which will take place in Newcastle next month.
At Cadet Level, England U17 Number 1 and GB International, Teagan Williams-Stewart, achieved 5th place at the Senior British Championships (missing out on a bronze by just one hit), took a bronze at the Birmingham Senior International Tournament and Essex Senior Open, and won the Invicta Senior Open (at just 15 years of age). “These results obtained at senior level, (for someone aged just 15) are remarkable and show just how talented Teagan is”, said Club Manager, Linda Strachan.
Our next generation of talented young fencers have also made a great impression this season. Newham’s Fencing Team (made up of six Newham Swords fencers) took overall silver at this year’s London Youth Games, having already won the overall title a record seven times (which has never been equalled by any other Borough).
11 year old rising star, Khalam Contractor, (last year’s British U10 Silver Medallist), achieved a personal best this season when taking bronze in the U11 Age Group, at last month’s English Youth Championships.
8 year old Mohammed Belbouab took gold at the London Leon Paul National Junior Tournament earlier in the season, as well as gold at the last Newham National Junior Series Event.
Further U9 results have come from Isabella Manglangit who took gold in the 3rd and 4th Newham National Junior Series Events (making her the Overall Series Winner), and from team-mate, Delia Cheta, who has already taken two bronzes this season despite only having been fencing for just two months.
“The results achieved by Newham Swords fencers this season means that the Club has won all the major national titles at U17, U20 and U23 level, as well as produced fencers who have represented GB at U17, U20 and Senior World Cups. We have produced fencers who have represented England and GB (and won titles) at all the major championships including the UK School Games, the Cadet and Junior Commonwealths, the Cadet and Junior Europeans and Worlds, the World Student Games and the Senior Europeans and Worlds. No other fencing club has achieved this.
There is only one more competition to aim for and that is an Olympic Games”, said Team Manager, and Double Olympian, Linda Strachan
