The country’s top fencers will be in Nelson Mandela Bay competing in a national ranking contest at Nelson Mandela University this weekend.
The event will pit the best fencers in the Bay against others from around the country.
It will also be an opportunity for fencers aiming for a spot on the South African team to compete at the Junior African Championships in March 2019.
Eastern Cape Fencing Association chair Jessica Raper said the province had already produced its first Proteas fencer, Bella Archibald.
“We are proud of Collegiate pupil Bella, who this year became the very first fencer to attain national colours in the sport,” Raper said.
A total of 35 fencers will fly the metro’s flag at the championships which take place at the NMU Indoor Sports Centre on the south campus on Saturday and Sunday, events starting at 9am both days.
Archibald, a former tetrathlete (running, laser shooting, fencing and swimming), represented the national team at the African Junior Championships and Commonwealth Games in 2018, and Raper believes she has a strong chance of selection again.
Competing alongside Archibald will be Rachel Beukes, Benedict Nsua and Paola Signorile, as well as Kayleigh Hitchcock from Buffalo City.
Raper said two of the association’s top fencers, Isabella Finestone and Rhys Poovan, would not take part in the tournament.
The men’s senior roster will feature senior men’s coach JonPaul Raper, Gareth Vorster, Sesethu Dawudi and Ambesa Mgijima.
Salmaan Schmidt will also be in action.
Joshua Nsua and Angelo Barkhuysen, who both took medals at the National Open tournament in 2018, will also compete.
Raper said fencers from Buffalo City, Grahamstown, Jeffreys Bay and Port Alfred would be competing in their first tournament of this nature.
Two veteran Eastern Cape fencers, Pearl and Jak Signorile, competed at the Commonwealth Games in Canberra, Australia, in which Jak took a bronze medal in the mixed team event.
Entry is free for spectators on both days.