The latest news from the ZFW Fencing Club
Four ZFW Fencing Club members took medals at the British Youth Championships in Sheffield, a haul which featured two golds.
Amelie Tsang battled her way to gold among under-14 girls, and Dario Stenbeck-Schiavo also captured gold among under-16 boys.
David Sosnov finished with the silver medal in the under-14 category; he was forced to abandon his gold-medal finals match due to injury.
Claire Sosnov, meanwhile, came away with a bronze medal in the under-12 age category.
More than a dozen of ZFW's young foilists qualified at regional competitions in the run-up to the British Youth Championships, which were held over three days the first weekend of May at Sheffield's English Institute of Sport.
They came en garde against Britain's best.
Tsang, aged 12, said she was thrilled with her win, and credited a steady focus for her gold-medal success.
"I love fencing, the mental and physical challenges, the intensity; it is a beautiful sport."
Stenbeck-Schiavo, aged 15, said he was almost flabbergasted by the win, which he described as a dream come true.
The teenager said he enjoys the physical conditioning fencing provides as well as the sport's sense of camaraderie.
Club spirit was in evidence at the three-day championships, with many of ZFW's other fencers achieving impressive top-eight finishes.
Noteworthy were Dylan Daniel, who came fifth among under-16 boys; Leo Li Lim, placing sixth among under-14 boys; and Eugenie Raimbault, finishing seventh among under-12 girls.
They were coached by ZFW senior fencer Peter Barwell and GB junior fencer Matthew Abrahams.
ZFW founder and senior coach Ziemek Wojciechowski, meanwhile, was at a World Cup competition in St Petersburg with Britain's senior foilists, where the GB men's team placed sixth.
That squad featured ZFW fencers Richard Kruse and James-Andrew Davis, both from north London and both multiple Olympians.
Senior international competitions become increasingly important in the run-up to the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
It is a busy time for all at the ZFW Fencing Club.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here