The Cadet (17U) Pan American Fencing Championships wrapped up Friday with Canada taking home four medals for a total of five in the competition.

Canada’s young women’s foil athletes showed that Canada has depth in this weapon, taking home two medals and finishing with all four athletes in the top 10. Ying Cao (TFC, Toronto, ON) took home a silver medal, losing only in the final to Chile’s Katina Proestakis 14-7. The Chilean previously defeated Canadian Jane Caulfield (EFC, Edmonton, AB) in the semi-final in a close 15-13 bout. Caulfield came away with a bronze medal in the event. Cynthia Liu (EFC, CDN living in USA) and Karina Li (HHF, Toronto, ON) finished in 9^th and 10^th place respectively.

Canada’s men’s sabre athletes also took home two medals. Francois Cauchon (BRE, Montreal, QC) took home the silver medal. Cauchon defeated USA’s Filip Dolegiewicz in the quarter-finals 15-13 to advance to the semi’s, where he then defeated Brazil’s Bruno Pekelman 15-12 to qualify for the final. Cauchon faced USA’s Logan Kanary for gold and lost a close 15-13 to take home silver. Cauchon’s teammate Angelo Chiara (BRE, Montreal, QC) also had a great day, taking home bronze after losing 15-11 to the gold medalist Kanary in the semi-final. Gabriel Dodier (ROU, Chateauguay, QC) finished 11^th overall.

Canada narrowly missed another medal in men’s epee. Fynn Fafard (DYN, Robert’s Creek, BC) finished 5^th overall after losing his quarter-final bout to the eventual gold medalist form Mexico. Canada finished with all four men’s epee athletes in the top 16. Daniel Zhang (BRE, Montreal, QC) was 9^th, Seraphim Jarov (DYN, Surrey, BC) was 12^th, and Victor Ji (VGO, Richmond Hill, ON) was 14^th overall.

Cadet competition comes to an end and the junior athletes take the stage today with women’s sabre, women’s epee and men’s foil individual competition in action. For photos and result updates, please visit the CFF’s Facebook page.

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