Anna Van Brummen - 5 Place, Cadets
/ 8 Place, Junior
Jack Hudson - 10 Place, Juniors /
21 Place, Cadet
Alliance Fencing Academy's Anna Van Brummen and
Jack Hudson competed at the Junior and Cadet World Championships this
year in Mer Morte, Jordan a beautiful city right on the Dead Sea.
Anna Van Brummen competing in both the Cadet (ages
17 and under) and Junior (ages 20 and under) categories for the United
States went into the tournaments ranked #1 in Cadet and #2 in Junior in
the United State's national rankings list.
On the men’s side, Jack Hudson competing in, like Anna, both Cadet and
Junior categories for Great Britain, Jack went into the tournament
ranked #1 in both Cadet and Junior categories on Great Britain's
national rankings list.
Cadet Women’s Epee
Anna started her day extremely well winning all
her bouts in her pool. In the pool she accumulated victories over
several strong fencers including Nichol Tal from Israel (5-2 for Anna)
and Jagoda Zagala from Poland (5-2). From there Anna went into the
direct elimination rounds seeded 2nd in a bracket of 64 of the worlds
strongest girls. Because of her high seeding she got a bye into the
bracket of 32 were she fenced Viktoria Lejon from Sweden. There would be
no coaching at the minute break for this bout as Anna disposed of the
Swed 15-10 in the first 3-minute period.
Next up in the bracket of 16, Anna had to face off with a very tough
girl Reka Bohus from Hungary. The Hungarian would be “in it to win it”
as she had won the Cadet World Cup in Bratislava, Slovakia just prior to
this World Championships. Anna did not go into the bout looking at it
like that, Anna won again in only the first 3-minute period 15-6 a
crushing score.
Next was the bracket of 8, were Anna had to fence off with Yulia
Bakhareva from Russia. The Russian and Anna had met on the strip in the
cadet world Cup in Grenoble, France in which Anna was defeated. The
Russian had accumulated a list of very impressive results over the year
leading her to be in the top 3 ranked fencers in all of Europe. Anna
fenced an extremely tough bout with the Russian but sadly once again
could not quite dial in her number. Anna lost 15-9 this time taking it
to minute break to receive advice from Coach Andrey. Anna went on to
place 5th in this Cadet World Championships.
A truly amazing result! Good job Anna!
Junior Women’s Epee
Three days laterm Anna returned to the piste for
her junior event. Anna started off her day poorly, losing three of her
pool bouts in a row 4-5 and dropping one of those bouts to former world
#1 and multiple time medalist at the Senior World Cups, Violetta
Kolobova from Russia. But after some encouraging words from Coach Andrey,
she was back on her feet and one the rest of her three pool bouts with
ease.
Next came the direct elimination round, which unlike in Cadet, Anna
started the bracket of 64 seed 44. This was fairly low considering her
stellar performance just three days prior. But as we all know a true
champion always overcomes adversity. Anna won her bracket of 64 bouts
against higher seeded Pavlina Sucha of the Czech Republic 15-3 a
crushing defeat for the Czech girl and a reassuring victory for Anna.
Next in the bracket of 32 Sara Fernandez Calleja from Spain was Anna’s
next opponent for the third time in 3 days. The minute break would not
be needed as Anna crushed the Spanish girl 15-7 in the first 3-minute
period.
Anna’s next bout in the bracket of 16 would be no simple task as Anna’s
next opponent was Rossella Fiamingo from Italy. The Italian had a very
impressive list of results to back her up which including being the #1
ranked Junior in the whole world and being a previous Cadet World
Champion, and top it all off a finalist in two Senior World Cups. The
odds of Anna’s victory were thin, but again the true champions always
overcomes obstacles in front of them. Anna won in a monstrous upset that
would shake the very foundations of the event, beating the Italian
15-11. Anna was victorious in the piste.
Next up in the bracket of 8, Anna faced an extremely tough challenger,
Yujie Sun from China, Anna lost a tough bout 12-15.
Anna placed 8th the highest of all the other American girls. A stellar
result!
Cadet Men’s Epee
Now it was Jack's turn to take the piste, starting
of his day in his pool rounds fencing for Great Britain. Jack, won four
of his six bouts dropping one of these bouts to the #4 ranked Cadet in
Europe, Tomaso Melocchi from Italy.
All was well as Jack preceded to the elimination bracket of 64 seeded
20th. Jacks first bout was against strong fencer, Ivar Lonnberg from
Finland, who had placed 7th in the Junior European Championships earlier
this year. Jack fenced a close bout taking the score to 14-14. Jack
pushed through and scored a single touch to win the bout 15-14.
Next up in the bracket of 32, Jack was destined to fence with Tim
Kuchalski from Germany, an extremely strong fencer who had won the Cadet
World Cup in Bonn, Germany in 2009. Unfortunately, he lost 12-15.
Kuchalski went on to take the silver medal. Jack even though losing a
very tough bout, still managed to place extremely well placing 21st,
this result would drive Jack to strive for more in his Junior event just
three days later!
Junior Men’s Epee
Jack reappeared on the strip just three days after
his cadet event this time with an even greater hunger for victory. Jack
started off his day with a very impressive record of five victories and
one loss in his pool even besting a very strong fencer, Vadim Anokhin
from Russia.
With Jack’s impressive record in the pool he entered the elimination
bracket of 64 seeded 14th were he would have to fence a very strong
fencer, Oleksiy Symonenko from the Ukraine. Jack won 15-8 a reassuring
victory for Jack and a crushing defeat for the Ukrainian.
From here Jack pressed to the bracket of 32 were he would fence Jan
Golobic from Slovenia, who had won a bronze medal in the Junior World
Cup in Germany just recently before the Championships. Jack beat the
challenging Slovenian 15-11.
Next up for Jack in the bracket of 16, was Alexander Lahtinen from
Finland, who is trained by a legendary Estonian world champion coach.
Jack fought a hard bout losing 6-15. Jack placed 10th! An great result!
Amazing job Jack!
Alliance Fencing Academy would also like to
congratulate Lewis Weiss (5th place on the United Sates Cadet
Men’s Epee National Rankings) and Francesca Bassa (6th place on
the United Sates Junior Women’s Epee National Rankings) for being
selected as alternates for their respective World Championship teams.
Congratulations to all and keep up the good
work!!!
