The Eastern Cape Fencing Association believes the sport is on the rise after the national ranking tournament was successfully hosted in Port Elizabeth at the weekend.
This is according to association chair Jessica Raper, who was speaking after the province’s fencers showed that they have what it takes to make the sport big in the region.
At the tournament, it was again the powerhouse provinces of Western Cape and Gauteng who showed their class in claiming a number of the top spots.
However, the Eastern Cape fencers gave a good account of themselves, with a number of spirited competitors finishing in top-10 positions.
In the epee open senior division, Michael Malahe from the Western Cape ranked first, with Keith Sefularo from Gauteng second and another Gauteng fencer, Pavel Tychler, third.
On the home front, Jon Paul Raper claimed sixth position in the division, with Gareth Vorster and Salmaan Schmidt in 13th and 14th respectively.
In the men’s under-20 epee division, Christiaan Bester from Gauteng claimed the top spot ahead of fellow Gauteng fencer Harry Saner, while Refilwe Mogotsi claimed third.
The highest-placed Eastern Cape fencer was Aphiwe Yengeni from Port Alfred in 15th spot, while Rushen Pillay from East London claimed 16th.
The U17 men’s epee saw Bester claim first place ahead of Tshepiso Phakisi and Western Cape’s Dorian Morreti in third.
Here the province again fared well with Yengeni in seventh, Anoxolo Salaze in ninth and Brendon Malan 10th.
Bloemfontein’s Alida van der Merwe stole the show in the women’s U20 epee division as she claimed the top spot with Anokha van Manen second and Chaume Grobler third.
Eastern Cape’s top fencer, Isabella Archibald, finished in fifth place, while Paola Signorile rounded out the top 10.