Young Louth fencer ready to take on the world

Louth fencer Williams Lonsdale has been among the top performers with the British squads this year EMN-190403-153425002

The 16-year-old heads to Poland next month for the Under 20s World Fencing Championships, but will make the trip full of confidence after a great season.

William, a pupil at King Edward VI Grammar School, in Louth, started off by winning a cadet ranking competition in London where clubmates Sam Blair and Wilf Broughton, finished third and sixth, respectively, out of 77 fencers.

He then flew to Provence, in France, with the British squad for the under 20s World Cup, finishing a highly-creditable 26th out of 182 fencers.

The result made him the highest-placed British squad member, as well as the youngest.

William then headed off to Poland for the Witold Foil Cup and again showed he belonged in international company, finishing 33rd out of 171 fencers.

He and the other squad members also got reached the final of the team event and won an excellent silver medal from a field of 35 teams.

William and his team-mates almost repeated the trick in Hungary where they won bronze instead, and recently he competed in three international foil tournaments with the British squad.

At the Cadet and Junior European Championships, in Foggia, Italy, William maintained his consistent form by finishing 30th and 23rd, respectively, out of 80 fencers.

The team again did well to finish in fourth place out of 18 teams.

Club coach Jim Harris said: “We wish him well for the under 20 world Championships, in April, in Poland, and we would like to thank his school and family for supporting him in his achievements this year.”