Sullivan Fencing: 2025 Youth Irish Open

The Youth Irish Open was held last Sunday 11th May in the Loreto Abbey Sports Centre in Dalkey, Dublin. Six SU fencers made the trip to this, the largest junior fencing event of the year in Ireland: Tom Morrow, Lydia Hamilton, Eric Hutchinson, Flynn Woolsey-Jensen, William Penny and Olivia Morse. All 6 put in strong performances with 3 of the 6 returning home with age group bronze medals.

U12s

Olivia made the semi-finals in the girls’ U12 event, but then lost 7-9 in a close fight to finish 3rd and earn one of the above mentioned bronze medals.

U14s

In the girls’ U14s Lydia won 3 from 4 in her poule, making her 2nd seed going into the knock-out stage. She made the semis, but in a nail-biting match lost there to the number 3 seed 14-15 to take the 2nd bronze for Sullivan.

Tom, Eric, Flynn and William were all competing in the boys’ U14s. William got off to a flying start with 4 poule wins from 5, seeding him 3rd for the knock-out stage. Unfortunately, in this stage Tom and Eric met in the L16, with Tom taking the win 15-10 to go into the quarter-finals. William and Flynn had also made the L8 and the two met there in another very close fight with Flynn winning 15-14 to go into the semis. Meanwhile, Tom lost his L8 fight to the no.1 seed to finish 8th overall, with William 5th and Eric 9th.

Flynn lost his semi-final fight to the number 2 seed to finish 3rd and win a 3rd bronze medal for SUFC.