Canadian Fencing Federation – The last day of team competition saw Women’s Foil and Men’s Sabre in action, and Canada added to its overall medal tally with a silver medal in Women’s Team Foil.

Canada’s team of Eleanor Harvey (Hamilton, ON), Kelleigh Ryan (Ottawa, ON), Alanna Goldie (Calgary, AB) and Shannon Comerford (Saskatoon, SK) took on the USA in the final.  The last time the two teams met in competition was at the 2015 Pan Am Games in Toronto and Canada defeated the USA in overtime to win gold.  It was not to be this time, as the USA came out with an early lead, and hung on to defeat Canada 45-25 to give Canada the silver medal.

Canada made it to the final by defeating Chile 45-27 in the quarter-finals, followed by a win against Colombia 45-19 in the semi-finals.

Canada’s Men’s Sabre team of Joseph Polossifakis (Laval, QC), Fares, Arfa (Laval, QC), Pascal Lambert (L’Epiphanie, QC) and Rémi Bedard-Couture (Montreal, QC) defeated Venezuela 45-43 in the quarter-finals, but then lost to Argentina in the semi-finals by a close 45-41.  The team then competed in the bronze medal final against Mexico, but without Rio-bound Polossifakis who sat out due to an ankle injury suffered during an earlier bout, and lost 45-27 to finish just off the podium in 4^th place.

Overall it was a successful Senior Zone Championships for Canada with a number of young up-and-coming athletes gaining experience and showing their potential.  Canada finished the event with seven medals overall – one gold, one silver and five bronze, with three medals earned in individual competition and four in team, and Canada winning four of six potential team medals.

Next up for Canada are the Olympic Games in Rio in August which will feature Canada’s five qualified athletes – Joseph Polossifakis (Men’s Sabre), Eleanor Harvey (Women’s Foil), Maximilien Van Haaster (Men’s Foil), Maxime Brinck-Croteau (Men’s Epee), and Leonora Mackinnon (Women’s Epee).

-30-