Eastern Cape fencers bagged 16 medals at the Arnold Classic Sport Expo which took place in Sandton, Johannesburg.
A total of 16 Eastern Cape fencers took part in the national competition, which is named after movie star Arnold Schwarzenegger.
After starting the sport only six months ago, brother and sister Joshua and Benedicte Nsua, of St George’s College, both won their very first medals in a national competition.
Joshua took gold in the U20 team event. He was the only one in his age group and was invited to compete in a mixed team with fencers from Pretoria and Limpopo.
Benedicte won a bronze medal in the U20 girls’ section.
Joshua said the win would be a confidence boost ahead of the Commonwealth Games.“I thank my coach Jessica Raper because she has been doing a great job,” he said.
“I am very excited to have won a medal at my very first fencing competition.”
Four fencers from Nelson Mandela Bay’s Excelsior Fencing Club won five medals in the national schools competition in epee fencing. Buffalo City exponents took two.
Representing the Mandela Bay was Isabella Archibald, who made the national team in March. She won silver in the U15 category and bronze in the U17.
The Eastern Cape girls excelled in the U15 category when Paola Signorile (Clarendon High, Buffalo City) won gold.
Collegiate’s Archibald took silver and Rachel Beukes, of Pearson High, the bronze.
Archibald is preparing for the Commonwealth Games competition which takes place in July in Newcastle, Queensland.
This achievement shows she is on track in terms of training.
Matthew Malan (Stirling Primary, East London) won silver.