Duo on guard for glory at highest level
THE successful swordsmanship of two promising North fencers is getting them noticed at national level, writes SAM BLACKLOCK.
Tegan McCallum and Phoebe Hughes both attend Hetton-leHole-based Durham Phoenix Fencing Club, having been in the sport for a combined total of 13 years.
McCallum has fenced in France and Germany and hopes to make the Great Britain junior team.
The 16-year-old, a student at East Durham College, has contested a range of competitions and has already enjoyed success in the prestigious Leon Paul Junior Series,
She said: “I first got into fencing because my older brother used to play with toy swords a lot and my mum discovered fencing and thought he might enjoy it.
“I tagged along and found myself also quite enjoying it. After a summer break, we decided not to go back until Phoenix coach Chris Morton came to my school to run some after-school sessions.
“That reignited my interest and I have been fencing with him ever since.
“I hope to make the junior team GB in the future and continue to grow and develop my fencing skills.”
Hughes, 17, is also seeing her fledging fencing career take off.
She said: “My first success came when I was 11 - I won the Durham Leon Paul junior competition.
“In 2013 I was ranked No 1 in the Leon Paul under-13 junior series and in 2014 ranked No 1 in the Leon Paul under-15 competition.
“I won several competitions through the two seasons too.”
In 2014, the New College Durham student was given her first taste of international action.
She fenced for England Under15s as a 13-year-old in the Paris Marathon competition.
The following year she represented England again in the same event.
Hughes added: “In 2014, I was selected to represent Great Britain cadets in Germany and Poland aged 14 in the under-17 category.
“Representing Great Britain was great, I went to so many places and gained so much experience.
“I was so pleased to be picked and loved it.
“I had been waiting a few weeks to find out and when I saw I was selected I was over the moon as I had been working so hard to get there.”
Hughes also represented Great Britain Under-17s in Slovakia, Austria and France in 2015 and Hungary in 2016.
She went on: “I just want to continue with my fencing and maybe one day I could take up coaching.”
Phoenix’s lead coach Chris Morton said: “I am so proud of the girls.
“Since their introduction to fencing while at primary school they have progressed so far.
“They are both an inspiration to the club and to fencing and they could go further on the international circuits.”
Durham Phoenix has moved to a new base at Hetton School, where it hopes to attract more youngsters into the sport. Go to www.durhamphoenixfencing.co.uk/courses.