The 2022 Belfast Open was held on the 13th March in the Sports Centre of the Ulster University Magee Campus in Londonderry. Due to school Covid safety precautions, the event was temporarily moved this year from the Sullivan Upper Sports Hall to the Derry venue. Five Sullivan fencers entered the women’s foil event: Izzy Evans, Rachel McKillen, Angharad King, Alex Atkinson and Alexandra Ong, while three entered the men’s foil: Alexander Penny, Keir Murray and Finn Neely.
In the men’s foil the poule stage saw Finn win 7 from 12, Alexander 6 from 11 and Keir 4 from 11, seeding them 10th, 11th and 12th respectively. All 3 made the last 16 but progressed no further, all going out to higher ranked fencers. Finn finished 10th, Alexander 11th and Keir 12th.
After the poule stage in the women’s foil, Alex was seeded 3rd and Izzy 4th, Alex with 9 wins from 11 and Izzy 8 from 10. Angharad was seeded 6th, Rachel 7th and Alexandra (at 15 the youngest in the event) 12th. In the knock-out stage Alexandra went out in the last 16 to the no.5 seed while the other 4 SU fencers all went through to the quarter-finals. Angharad and Rachel went out at this stage while Izzy and Alex won and progressed to the semi-finals. Both were beaten in the semis, losing to 2 Dublin rivals, but earning themselves bronze medals for joint 3rd. Angharad finished 6th, Rachel 7th and Alexandra 12th.
This was another excellent turn-out of senior SU fencers, with all 8 putting in superb effort and gaining more valuable senior open competition experience. Well done to Alex and Izzy on their medal wins and to all 8 on their 2022 Belfast Open performances
The next event for senior SUFC fencers will be at the East of Ireland Open in Dublin on the 26th March. And for U12s, U14s and U16s, it will be Round 5 of the NI Junior Foil Series on 3rd April in the Sullivan Upper Sports Hall.
David White
SUFC Coach
18 Mar 2022