Fencers off to Bulgaria
The Firebird Fencing Club will be competing in Bulgaria in April and are asking the community to help financially to buy fencers new equipment and clothing.
POLOKWANE – Three fencers, from the Firebird Fencing Club, Caylin Duncan, Michelle Butler and Anokha van Manen have qualified to compete in the 2017 Junior and Cadet World Championships which will be held in Plovdiv, Bulgaria from 1 to 10 April.
“It took really hard work to qualify, our last three national tournaments were all used for rankings.”
“These fencers should thus continually receive gold, silver and bronze in order for them to maintain a top four position,” said Tersia Goosen, Team Manager, Firebird Fencing Club.
She added that the national tournaments took place in Port Elizabeth in September, Randburg in December, and Soweto in February, which gave the fencers very little time to rest and they had to stay fit in order to compete.
The South African Fencing Team currently consists of 42 fencers with Misha Galukhin, and Jo-Ann Saner, as coach and team manager respectively, both who have previously accompanied national teams to international competitions.
“Now we have to focus on visas, plane tickets and special International Fencing Federation (FIE) equipment which all is going to be funded from the parents’ pockets,” Tersia said.
She added that the FIE equipment is needed to compete in International Championships which means each fencer must get new weapons, clothes and more.
“We would really appreciate it if the community could assist us with funds so that we can get our fencers to compete in April.”
Anyone interested in sponsoring the fencers can contact Tersia or Wally Goosen at 073 450 2224 or 083 379 6969.
