Fencers to represent Ireland

Owen McConnell and David Burnside are students at Foyle and Londonderry College and Raisa Greer is a former Foyle student now on a Sports scholarship at Ulster University, Coleraine.

David qualified by achieving World cup points in Portugal, Denmark and Sweden. Owen's qualification was achieved in Portugal and Spain.

Raisa is the first girl resident in Northern Ireland to qualify for the Junior World Championships. She achieved her qualification with results in Spain and Portugal.

Meanwhile Foyle and Londonderry College fencers completed a very successful two days at the recent British National Public Schools Fencing Championships held at the Crystal Palace National Sports centre.

This was the first time that Foyle fencers had attended this event.

David Burnside won the Senior Epee championships, defeating three members of the British squad on the way to the final. In an exciting final he defeated Tom Chung of King's College, Canterbury. Tom is a member of the Chinese Hong Kong team going to the World Championships. Andrew Pollock finished 36th in the event which had an entry of 114 fencers.

Lee Kitson lost a very close fight in the semi finals of the senior sabre event and then claimed a bronze medal finish. James Nicholl was ninth and David Connolly 26th in this event.

Richard Magee in his first major event finished in bronze medal position in the junior sabre. Niamh Spence achieved a good result finishing in seventh place in the junior sabre and is a hope for an even higher place next year.

Eimile McSorley was ninth in the Junior Epee with Anna Jackson 17th and Lucia McCafferty 18th.