Local teens qualify to National Fencing Championships

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Three Clarendon County teenagers qualified this week for to represent South Carolina in the United States Fencing Nationas.

Teige Failmezger, Emmeline Failmezger and Sarah Madeline Beard will participate in various tournaments at the nationals this summer in St. Louis, Missouri.

Teige qualified for the Men's Epee Youth 14 Division, while Emmeline qualified for the Women's Epee Division and Beard qualified in the women's Epee Youth 14 Division. Coach Daniel Johnson, a Columbia resident, qualified for the Men's Epee Division.

The three will compete among more than 4,000 other fencers from throughout the nation during the 10-day event.

National Champions will be crowned in age groups from Youth 10 to Veteran Plus-70, with 60 titles on the line and all three fencing disciplines (epee, foil and saber) contested for both men and women.

The tournament also will feature 2020 and 2024 Olympic hopefuls competing in the July Challenge. A tournament open to athletes around the world, the July Challenge will be the final competition held in the United States before Team USA leaves to compete in the 2018 Senior World Championships in Wuxi, China. The July Challenge will include Division I, Junior, Cadet and Senior Team events.

“USA Fencing is excited to partner with Explore St. Louis to bring the largest fencing tournament in the world to the great state of Missouri,” said USA Fencing Director of Operations Christine Strong-Simmons of Colorado Springs, Colo. “Our athletes, families, coaches and officials will find so much to do downtown within walking distance from the hotels and convention center.”

Located in the heart of downtown St. Louis, the America’s Center is within walking distance of the Gateway Arch and Busch Stadium, which is home to the St. Louis Cardinals.

“St. Louis, and the fencing community across the region, look forward to making the 2018 Summer Nationals the most exciting and entertaining tournament venue you and the USA Fencing family has ever experienced,” said USA Fencing National Championships Local Organizing Committee Ron Daugherty. “Meet me in St Louis in 2018 for the best time ever.”