Team gold and top results for DCFC fencers at European Cadet Competition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Washington, Oct. 28, 2018 – Today, Justin Haddad, 16, of Bethesda, Maryland, and Yunice Pyo, 16 of Potomac, Maryland took team gold and top eight spots at the first European Cadet (under 17) competition of the season in Klagenfurt, Austria. Pyo and Haddad are members of D.C. Fencers Club in Silver Spring, Maryland.
The Klagenfurt European Cup, held Oct. 27-28, brought together top-level teen fencers from nearly two dozen countries to match skills in individual and team events. On Saturday, Haddad took tenth place in the individual Cadet Men’s Epee event, which earned him a spot on the top U.S. squad for Sunday’s team event. Haddad and Team USA 1 proceeded to win five straight matches against Poland, Austria, Italy 1, and Hungary, defeating Italy 2, 45-32, in the finals. Haddad joined fellow USA 1 team members Isaac Herbst (Houston, Texas), Daniel Shifron (San Diego, Ca.), and Ethan Kushnerik (New York, N.Y.) on the champions podium.
“We had our ups and downs throughout the day, but we were most concerned going into our [quarterfinal] bout with Italy 1, the number one seed. We knew we would have to work hard as a team to win,” said Haddad. “I started the bout with a 4-2 lead against their anchor and we just held the lead until the end.” Haddad is a junior at the Montgomery Blair High School Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Magnet.
The underdog story of the day belonged to the Yunice Pyo and fellow USA Team 5 mates Pilar Mandolado of San Antonio, Texas and Aretha Gao of Los Angeles, Calif. Their team was seeded last out of 28 teams at the start, yet they outscored the sixth-seeded Italy 2 team, then defeated Greece in the 16 (45-32), finishing seventh overall.
“My team’s goal going in was to fight hard and have fun,” said Pyo, a junior at Winston Churchill High School. “As we progressed in the competition, I realized how great an experience participating in teams was. I’ve really enjoyed the dynamic of constant support the entire U.S. team provides each other. The loud cheering really makes the team feel like one giant family.”
Fellow DMV-area fencers Hadley Husisian and Michaela Joyce also advanced to the top eight (fifth) in the team event, a testament to the powerhouse fencing in the Washington region.
The fencing team event structure is a round robin in which three fencers from each team (plus an alternate) face off for a total of nine bouts which last three minutes each. The first team to score 45 points (or the higher score) at the end of nine 3-minute periods wins.
Full results from the Klagenfurt European Circuit event can be found here.
About DC Fencers Club
For more than 25 years, DC Fencers Club (DCFC) has consistently produced national and international champions. We polish the skills of fencers who strive to compete at the highest level, and we encourage fencers of all ages and ability levels. For more information on classes, camps, and lessons, visit us at www.dcfencing.com.