Local fencers selected for SA team
Rahul and Anokha van Manen, Sebastian Austin and Safiya Khan-Patel will represent the country at various national competitions to be held in July and August.
POLOKWANE – Sello Maduma Fencing Academy head coach Sello Maduma has congratulated fencers affiliated with his academy for their inclusion in the South African fencing team.
Rahul and Anokha van Manen, Sebastian Austin and Safiya Khan-Patel will represent the country at various national competitions to be held in July and August.
They were selected at the Bloemfontein Fencing Open, which was held in the Free State on May 9, where they won various medals in their different age categories.
Anokha came home with two gold medals in junior and senior women’s foil, as well as a gold medal in women’s epee to finish in the top eight of the senior women’s epee event.
Rahul clinched silver medals in the junior and senior men’s epee event and added more medals to his tally as he won silver and bronze medals in the foil events.
Safiya, who will make her national team debut, won a silver medal in the u/17 women’s foil event and a bronze medal in the junior women’s foil category.
She also won a silver medal in the u/17 women’s epee event and finished in eighth position in the junior women’s foil event.
Austin managed to finish in the top eight in the u/17 category.
Sello, who will also travel with the South African team, won a bronze medal in the senior men’s epee event.
He is proud of the fencers and wished them well at the national events.
“I am extremely excited for the fencers, they have been working hard. Their achievement is an inspiration to the up-and-coming fencers in the academy to work hard and reap the rewards.”
