Kate Beardmore led the Archway-based Fighting Fit team’s quest for gold at this year’s UK School Games.

Beardmore was crowned individual champion in the foil, before she and her club-mate Yasmin Campbell formed half of England’s squad which stormed to the team title at the UK’s premier school fencing event.

The third member of Fighting Fit on duty, Kameron Nicholas, put behind him the disappointment of narrowly missing out on a medal in the individual event, where he finished fifth, to again help England to team gold.

Beardmore fenced well through the group stages, earning a top-four seeding for the knockout phase.

Three comfortable wins in the elimination rounds followed, before a gripping all-English final against an east-London based team.

Beardmore built an early lead, only to be caught at 14-14 before getting the decisive final hit in the tensest of finishes.

“I didn’t feel at all nervous,” she said. “The coaching I receive from our club coach, Ludo Sotto, has given me such great technique I was really confident if I stuck to my game-plan I would come out on top.”

Illness had prevented club-mate Campbell from competing in the individual disciplines, but 24 hours later she joined Beardmore as half of the England squad for the team event.

They crushed the Welsh quartet 45-12 in a one-sided semi-final and while the Scots proved a tougher proposition in the final, England pulled away to win 45-28 to raise the golden tally for Fighting Fit to three.

There was more to come as Nicholas played a vital part in the England boys team’s dominant performance.

They defeated Northern Ireland 45-17 in the semis before crushing Scotland 45-16 in the final.

Club director Sandra Dease was delighted by the golden haul.“It makes us extremely proud when competitions like this show that if our fencers put in a lot of hard work the results will come,” she said.

“I hope this will inspire the next generation to come to us and give our sport a try so we can train them to be the stars of the future.”

Fighting Fit Fencing Club runs regular beginners sessions for children and adults. Contact Jed on 07832241215 or email admin@fightingfitfencing.com