Sylvia Musel with the Gold Medal |
London 2012 Games are around the corner and fencing is one of only four sports which have been featured at every modern Olympic Games. Fencing competitions start on Saturday 28 July and can be watched on Foxtel’s Channel London 6. Although sword fighting dates back thousands of years, fencing as we now understand it really came of age as a sport in the 19th century. A tense, compelling battle of wits and technique, the sport is one of the few to have featured at every modern Olympic Games. Australia has not yet won a fencing medal at the Olympics and is not represented in London. This is not a surprise as it is not a major sport in Australia. However, though not well known in Western Sydney, fencing is beneficial for everyone as is one of the most enjoyable of all exercise forms.
Fencers from "Polish Australian Fencing Club" (PAFC) Marayong are active in pursuing their sporting goals and by taking part in the 2009 NSW School Individual Fencing Championships. We started the year with organisation on 11 February for the 1st time of Blacktown Fencing Competitions under the umbrella of the Blacktown City Games. Sabre competitions in the Beginners category were won by Stefan Petrusic after the final bout full of drama against Mitchell McArthur. Medals were presented by Blacktown City Councillor Stephan Bali.
In March our fencers started in State competitions and achieved surprisingly good results:
- Gold Medal by Adam Taras in sabre U/13 in the 2012 NSW Schools Roberta Nut Shield Fencing Championships,
- Sylvia Musel Gold Medal among girls in sabre U/11,
- Bronze Medals by Adam Kortynski and Adrian Musel in the NSW Sabre Championships U/17. 
Sylvia Musel with Adam Taras and Stefan Petrusic |
On 16 June 2012 Adam Kortynski and Adrian Musel, both from St Andrews College, and Adam Taras from Oakhill College, went to Brisbane to represent NSW in the AFF 2012 National School Fencer Championships in both individual and team sabre competition. All three qualified to this tournament in March at NSW competitions as the four best fencers. Adam and Adrian started in the Senior division U17, and Adam Taras in the Intermediate division U15. Adam Kortynski individually won the Bronze Medal loosing marginally the deciding bout to the Queenslander, who won the gold medal.
Following individual competitions the team event took place. In a team match three fencers from two teams fence each other once, making for a total of nine bouts. Bouts are to 5 points each bout score carries over. Adrian and Adam with NSW team reached the final in which they met QLD. The NSW did not start well and after four bouts was losing 20:13. At the fifths bout was Adam’s turn. Adam started his pursuit and was able to score 11 hits to opponent’s 5. He improved result to 25:24 and kept gold medal chance alive. It was deciding moment of this match as from this point NSW team in remaining four bouts scored 26 hits against QLD 11 winning at the end this thrilling final 45:36. Adam and Adrian with the NSW team won the Gold Medal and the title of Australian School Champions.
On Saturday 23 June and Sunday 24 June our small contingent of fencers achieved excellent results at the NSW State competitions. Sylvia Musel (St Andrews Primary, Marayong) and Stefan Petrusic (Vardy’s Road PS) competed in sabre U11. Sylvia won the Gold Medal, and became for the first time the NSW School Champion. Stefan demonstrated a fighting spirit in his bouts and finished 6th out of 20 competitors. In quarter final bout only one hit separated him from a bronze medal.
NSW Silver Team (Adam & Adrian 1st row on left) |
Adam Taras representing Oakhill College started in sabre, this time in his U13 category, and finished with the Silver Medal. Adam was fighting very well in the whole tournament. Unfortunately for him in the final bout to 10 hits at 9:9 Adam’s attack missed the target. This unfortunate mistake costed him the gold.
Adam Kortynski (16 years old) was competing in sabre U20 NSW Championships (junior category). He lost the semi-final bout by one hit and finished with the Bronze Medal. This result qualified him for selection to the NSW Team for Australian Championships.
The next event in which our fencers took part were U15 and Cadet Open Australian Championships in Sydney from 29th June to 4th July 2012 with international company of fencers from Singapore, Hong Kong and New Zealand.
Adam Taras (13 years old) started in sabre U15, for the first time in this range of competitions. He fenced very well and individually finished at 9th place. Next with NSW 'B' Team surprisingly reached semi-final in which they lost to Singapore and finished at 3rd place. In the final Singapore beat NSW ‘A’.
Adam Kortynski and Adrian Musel started in Cadet sabre (U17). Individually Adam after losing bout for quarter-final to fencer from Western Australia was classified in the group 9-16 on fifteen place (being 3rd fencer from NSW). Adrian after very good fights in pools in which he won four bouts unfortunately lost first DE match to New Zealander and finished on 18th place.
NSW Gold Team in Brisbane.Top from left Adrian Musel & Adam Kortynski |
In the team event both, Adam and Adrian were part of the NSW ‘A’ Team and finished at 2nd place. In the first match they beat easily Victoria 45:12. Next NSW ‘A’ met Singapore team and after very tough match won 45:42 and got to the final. In the match for the Gold they were fighting against QLD ‘A’ and lost 45:36.
There will be an opportunity to try fencing during the Family SportsFest which will be held on Saturday August 25 at Blacktown International Sportspark Sydney’s Athletics Centre. The event will kick-off at 12pm.
To find out more about this exciting sport and to cross swords with our fencers we invite boys and girls to our fencing trainings at Sports Hall, St Andrews College, 116 Quakers Rd, Marayong, Tuesdays & Fridays from 6.30pm to 8.00pm.
Contact: 0425 283 683.
polaustfencing.page.ti
Link do artykułu o polskiej reprezentacji szermierzy na Londyńską Olimpiadę
From left: Adam Kortynski & Adrian Musel |
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