Aussie, Japanese bag first fencing golds

MANILA, Philippines - Australia’s Ioana Mihailescu and Japan’s Riki Miyoshi snared the first gold medals disputed in the 2010 Asian Cadet Fencing Championships at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.

Mihailescu edged Mau Yuen Ching of Hong Kong, 15-13, to capture the cadet girls’ epee individual gold in this event organized by the Philippine Fencing Association in coordination with the Fencing Confederation of Asia and supported by the Philippine Sports Commission headed by chairman Harry Angping.

Miyoshi, meanwhile, overpowered Cho Sung Hyuck of Korea, 15-8, to reign supreme in the cadet boys’ foil individual section.

Host Philippines fielded in Nathaniel Perez and Michael Nicanor in cadet boys’ foil, but both succumbed to super strong foreign challenge, crashing out early.

After drawing first round byes, Perez rammed into Sham Kent Kin Fai of Hong Kong and absorbed an 8-15 pummeling while Nicanor was shown the door by Miyoshi in a lopsided 15-6 result.

Miyoshi subsequently went on to nail the gold after he pummeled one after another Iran’s Alireza Adhamy, Japan’s Shuhei Miyoshi, Choi and then Cho.

Cho survived a furious challenge by Japanese Teppei Azuma in carving out a gripping 15-14 win in the semis to foil what could have been an all-Japan finale.

Although RP fielded in entries in almost all events, only Fil-Am Mia Howell stands a big chance snaring a medal, perhaps a gold, here.

Howell, who snared a silver medal in the Cadet Girls event in the same meet in Kazakhstan two years back, is expected to arrive in the country this week from the United States since she’ll be competing in the individual and team foil events on Friday and Sunday.

“She’s (Howell) our best hope but our other fencers will sure give it their all for flag and country,” said former Philippine Olympic Committee president and RP fencing chief Celso Dayrit.

The event drew the participation of the best fencers in the region as well as in Oceania.

The tournament, for aged 20 years old and below, stakes 96 medals in 24 events.