Canada got off to a strong start in day one of the Junior/Cadet Pan American Fencing Championships, taking place in Cancun, Mexico from Feb. 28 to March 4, 2016.

Cadet Individual competition in Women's Epee, Men's Foil, and Women's Sabre were in action on Sunday, and Canada finished the day with three medals.

Canada showed its strength in women's Epee with two medals – a silver by Cindy Gao of Toronto, ON and a bronze by Natasha Kis-Toth from Richmond, BC.  Gao and Kis-Toth were ranked first and second in the competition following pools and both breezed through their elimination bouts until they faced the USA's Sofia Komar, who defeated Kis Toth 15-9 in the semi-finals and then defeated Gao 12-6 in the finals to give the Canadians a bronze and silver medal respectively.  Other top 16 finishes include Elizabeth Douglas (Richmond, BC) who finished 5^th and Monica Rogowicz (White Rock, BC) who finished 13^th overall.

Mateusz Kozak (Brampton, ON) won Canada's third medal of the day in Cadet Men's Foil.  After strong pool and elimination rounds, Kozak defeated the USA's Aidan Chu 15-9 in the quarter-finals but lost to Augusto Servello from Argentina in the semi-finals by a score of 15-10 to take home the bronze medal for Canada.

Cadet Women's Sabre was also in action with Kathy Hu (Canadian living in China) finishing 10^th, Marina Guitchitskaia (Edmonton, AB) in 11^th and Emily Ma (Vancouver, BC) in 12^th.

On schedule for Monday are the final Cadet events, which include, Men's Epee, Women's Foil and Men's Sabre.

You can follow the action live through: http://esgrimacancun2016.pgtb.me/3xjgTW

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