Hat fencers do themselves proud at worlds

By None on October 24, 2018.

Medicine Hat News

They didn’t know what to expect at the World Veterans Fencing Championships, but Coreen and James Sheardown returned from Italy with some respectable results.

The couple behind Medicine Hat’s AAA Fencing Club were part of Canada’s 32-member team in Livorno, Italy Oct. 8-14. They competed in both team and individual 50-and-over divisions, and with more than 800 athletes got to see a wide range of styles.

Coreen had her best showing in the women’s foil event, placing 16th. She also finished 47th in epee.

James was 64th in a field of 101 men’s epee combatants, while he was 67th in foil.

All four finishes were the best by a Canadian in those divisions. Edmonton’s Jujie Luan, a former Olympic gold medallist, won women’s 60-and-over foil.

As for the team events, the Canadian women tied for seventh in foil while the men were 18th in epee.