Canada’s top senior women’s foil and men’s epee athletes were in action today for their preliminary rounds at the 2019 Senior World Fencing Championships in Budapest.  Four athletes advance to the top 64’s which take place Friday, July 19^th.

Canada’s women’s foil athletes started off the day on a strong note with three of four athletes advancing to the Main Draw.  Both Eleanor Harvey (Hamilton, ON) and Jessica Guo (Toronto, ON) had perfect records in poules, winning all six of their bouts and advanced directly to the 64’s, bypassing the elimination rounds.  Kelleigh Ryan (Ottawa, ON) won five of six of her poule bouts, giving her a bye in the first elimination round.  She then faced Andrea Bimova of the Czech Republic and won 15-7 to earn her spot in the top 64’s.  Alanna Goldie (Calgary, AB) had three wins and two losses in poules but unfortunately lost in the second round of elimination to Dora Lupkovics 15-9.

Canada’s men’s epee athletes were also in action today.  Marc-Antoine Blais-Belanger (Montreal, QC) was Canada’s only male epee athlete to advance.  Blais-Belanger finished with a record of four wins and two losses in poules and went on to defeat Richard Schmidt of Germany 15-13 and Mohsen Mahmoud of Egypt 15-9 to advance to Friday’s Main Draw.  Ottawa’s John Wright had a record of five wins and one loss after poules, won his first elimination bout 15-12, but then lost his final elimination bout to Chile’s Pablo Nunez a close 15-14.  Max Brinck-Croteau (Gatineau, QC) and Seraphim Hsieh Jarov (Surrey, BC) also failed to advance.

Canada’s men’s foil and women’s sabre athletes take the stage tomorrow for the last preliminary rounds of the Individual competition.  Canada has qualified nine athletes so far to the top 64’s and hopes to add to the total following tomorrow’s competition. All results can be found at: https://2019budapestfencing.com/

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