The 6th and final round of the 2018-2019 NI Junior Foil Series took place last Sunday 7 April 2019 at Hunterhouse College in South Belfast. Fifteen Sullivan fencers took part and between them set a new SU record of 11 medals won on the day: 2 gold, 3 silver and 6 bronze. And afterwards, when the series points totals were calculated, 8 Sullivan fencers emerged as championship trophy winners, including Victoria Morris who won a series 1st place trophy to become N Ireland U16 Girls Foil Champion.
U12 Girls
Year 8s Alexandra Ong and Sophia Cahill met in the U12G final in a repeat of the Round 5 final, with Alexandra again taking gold and Sophia silver. Both collected championship trophies, Sophia finishing the year in overall 2nd place and Alexandra in 3rd.
U12 Boys
Oliver Playfair was the only SU entrant in the U12B category. Seeded 7th after the poule stage, he then proceeded to knock out the number 2 seed in a close run quarter-final, winning 10-9. Though beaten in his semi-final, Oliver came away with his 2nd bronze medal of the year.
U14 Girls
Year 8 Charlie Beimers and year 10 Alex Atkinson were SU representatives in the U14G age group. Charlie finished 7th, while Alex battled trough to the semi-finals, only to lose to the eventual winner 11-12 in a close fight that involved an extra time tie-break after the 2 fencers were tied at 11-11 at full time. However, the points gained by her bronze medal finish lifted Alex to 3rd place in the overall series standings, and the championship 3rd place trophy.
U14 Boys
Five SU fencers competed in this category: Alexander Penny, Arnav Arava, Finn Neely, Adam Caldwell and Keir Murray. Adam, Keir and Finn finished 5th, 8th and 9th, while Alexander and Arnav met each other at the semi-final stage. Alex won this meeting 15-11 to go on to the final, Arnav taking bronze. Alexander lost the final 11-15 to take the silver medal, but the points gained from this 2nd place finish added just enough points to take him into the series overall 3rd place and the championship 3rd place trophy.
U16 Girls
The U16G event was an all-Sullivan affair, with SU fencers taking all 4 medals: Victoria Morris gold, Izzy Evans silver and Rachel McKillen and Angharad King the bronze medals. This was Victoria’s 5th round win of the year, taking her into an unassailable series points lead and the U16 Girls Championship winner’s trophy. Izzy’s five 2nd places and Rachel’s five 3rd places from across the year easily took them to the overall championship 2nd and 3rd places and trophies. The overall series 4th and 5th places were also taken by SU fencers: Angharad King 4th and Ruzi Statham 5th.
U16 Boys
From the start of the 2018-19 year, Cormac Kitchen had been the lone SU representative in the U16B category. This time he finished 3rd to take his 4th bronze medal of the year, and enough series points to secure him the overall championship 3rd place trophy.
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David White
SUFC Coach
10 April 2019