Published: 12 April, 2012
by STEVE BARNETT

A SQUAD of six swashbucklers have been flying the flag for Camden Fencing Club in Moscow after being selected to represent Britain at the World Championships.

Soji Aiyenuro (pictured) led the charge in the men’s junior sabre tourney as he won four out of his six pool matches.

In the last 64, the talented 18-year-old beat Ryuta Harima of Japan 15-13 in a closely- fought contest.

But he fell just short in the final 32, losing 15-8 against Ho Tin Low from Hong Kong, earning a creditable 28th place finish overall.

Team-mate Curtis Miller only won two of his six pool matches, setting-up a tougher draw in the knockout stages of the under-20s event.

The 19-year-old started well, beating Mexico’s Juan Vega 15-7.

But he was then paired against top-ranked Italian Enrico Berre, who sealed a commanding 15-7 victory to leave Curtis in 62nd place overall.

Aliya Itzkowitz was Britain’s only representative in the women’s sabre competition, and fenced extremely well to earn a ninth-seed ranking in the eliminators after winning five of her six pool matches.

Aliya looked very much at home on the world stage as she beat Elisa Rodriguez of Spain 15-7 in the last 64.

She then faced nemesis Judith Kusian of Germany, who picked up a narrow 15-11 victory to leave Aliya in 19th place overall.

Jonathon Webb was arguably Camden’s strongest competitor as he won all five of his pool matches in the cadet under-17s competition.

He beat Jasper Rowley from Australia and the Ukraine’s Bogdan Lysenko in the eliminators on his way to a highly-respectable 11th place finish.

Rubin Amsalem also fenced exceptionally, beating Hassen Tachefine from Canada in the last 64 before narrowly overcoming club-mate Jack Horrix 15-13 in the final 32.

Rubin went on to finish 15th overall, while Jack was 32nd out of a field of 79 competitors from 35 countries.