Fencing

Posted: 15 January 2019

Three months, three Junior World Cup meets, three podium finishes. Singapore’s No. 1 Women’s foilist’s latest bronze medal at the Udine Junior World Cup on 5 January 2019, an event in the 2018/2019 world Junior season, came exactly three weeks after her silver medal at the Havana Junior World Cup on 15 December 2018, and less than two months after she had clinched the gold at Guatemala.

Amita Marie Nicolette Berthier did not have an easy start at the Havana leg from 15 to 16 December. Upon arriving in Cuba, the 18-year-old Singaporean realised that her equipment had not followed her. Despite having to run around borrowing chest guard and weapon from opponents, Amita won four out of six bouts in the poules to advance into the knockout stage. En route to the Women’s Foil Final, Amita encountered Polish Aleksandra Jeglinska for the second time in the tournament, having lost to her in the Pools. However, this time, Amita made light work of her opponent, ending the match swiftly with only 3 points against her. Amita was eventually defeated by Canada’s Jessica Guo 12-15 in the gold-medal match.

A few weeks later at the Udine leg from 5 to 6 January, the former Singapore Sports School student-athlete also enjoyed a smooth run from the pools through to the Semi-Finals, save for a scare in the Round of 32 against Italian Martina Favaretto, the Women’s Junior Foil No. 1 fencer in the previous season. It was in the last four that the Singaporean’s path to the title was halted, falling 10-15 to local fencer Serena Rossini.

Amita’s consistent performances in recent competitions is a morale boost in her fencing career, following a historic bronze medal at the Jakarta-Palembang 2018 Asian Games Women’s Foil Team event.