Charlotte clinches British fencing title

Charlotte Slater won the Under 10 Girls championships, where she remained undefeated throughout.

Charlotte was seeded second going into the direct elimination rounds. She won the initial knockout rounds comfortably but had a tough semi final which she narrowly won 10-9.

In the final she gained renewed strength and resilience coming through to win 10-4 after 15 matches spread over 9 hours.

This is a remarkable achievement for Lisburn Gladiators Fencing Club, which has only been going for just over a year, coached by Colin Bell and parents. The club has worked with local schools and youth groups in promoting and developing this Olympic sport locally with limited funding and resources, yet have coached Charlotte to the top at the weekly club nights and further training sessions with the University of Ulster.

Another member of the club, Ciara Cormican came 12th overall which was another excellent achievement for someone relatively new to the sport. Both girls are pupils at St. Joseph’s Primary School in Lisburn and the school are very proud of Charlotte and Ciara who came first and second overall, respectfully in the recent Northern Ireland Junior Series.

When asked why she did fencing, Charlotte replied, “I love fencing and just wish it was more popular. Our club tries to show fencing is fun and that you don’t have to have all the really expensive kit to be good at it. You have fun while getting fit as well and as you do it on your own you can be any shape, big or small, and you don’t have to worry about being picked last for a team, which can put my friends off doing other sports.”

In order for Charlotte and other club members to progress further and become the next Tom Daly they will need to attend training camps in the UK and Europe and purchase additional fencing equipment for which sponsorship and funding are now being sought.

Lisburn Gladiators are the only club in Northern Ireland with a current British Youth Champion and they hope Charlotte will be the first of many to come through the ranks. This is the latest success for Lisburn Gladiators in what has been a remarkable first full competitive year with four fencers also qualifying for the British Youth Championships in Sheffield. Four fencers gained their Piste Assistant Award and have been selected for the Elite Staff Team at the European Championships. Lead coach Colin Bell has been the first UK coach to gain the Go Fence Coach Educators Award and came runner up veteran in the Glasgow Open. He will now represent Great Britain in the European Championships in Lille next month in what should be a great experience.

New members are welcome and all equipment is provided. Call 0845 40 33623 to book a free taster session at the St Patrick’s Centre, Lisburn.