Lee, Yasuda claim second fencing golds

MANILA, Philippines - Korea’s Lee Jun Ho and Japan’s Yuki Yasuda pulled off contrasting results to clinch their second gold medal in the Asian Cadet and Junior Fencing Championships at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.

Lee edged countryman Choi Gyu Hyun, 15-13, to top the individual cadet boys sabre while Yasuda overpowered Singapore’s Wong Ye Ying Liane, 15-4, to reign supreme in the individual cadet girls foil that gave the Koreans and the Japanese their second golden effort.

The other gold medals were won by Kazakhstan’s Ivan Deryabin in the individual cadet girls’ saber and Australia’s Ioana Mihailescu in the individual cadet girls’ epee.

The Philippines’ fielded in four entries – Andrea Ignacio, Justine Gail Tinio, Wilhelmina Lozada and Karen Pangilinan – but could only make it to the second round.

Ignacio, Tinio, Lozada and Pangilinan all won their first round matches over Iran’s Negin Kafei Hernashki, 13-10, Singapore’s Lim Shang Hui, 15-4, Qatar’s Noura Al-Kuwari, 15-10, and Korea’s An A Reum, 9-8, respectively.

Ignacio, Tinio, Lozada and Pangilinan, however, ran into tougher foes in the second round and all lost to Singapore’s Wong Ye Ying Liane, 7-15, Hong Kong’s Cheng Hiu Wai, 12-15, eventual champion Yasuda, 5-15, and Japan’s Kaho Nasage, 3-15, respectively.