All three Australian teams fenced to form in the Asian Junior and Cadet Fencing Championships in Manila.

On Monday, the Boy's Foil team took out India in the round of 16, but could not match the top seeds, Japan, in the quarter final.

Today, it was the turn of the Boy's Epee team and the Girl's Foil team.  The boys were convincing winners over the Philippines.  The boys really put the pressure on the Japanese in the last eight, but once the Japanese got their noses in front, the Aussie boys couldn't find the answer.

The girls made very easy work of the Indian team in the round of 16, which meant they faced the Philippines in the top 8.  Unfortunately, our girls could not overcome the home team.

Today marks the end of the Cadet competition, the Junior (U20) competition commencing with Men's Foil and Women's Epee tomorrow.

The Australian Sports Commission and the Office for Women have joined together to help develop the next generation of female leaders in sport.

Inspiring and assisting women in the sport industry to reach their full potential in leadership through education and development opportunities.

Are you involved in sport as a manager, administrator, coach or official, or do you work in sport communications/media or governance? Would you like to learn more, and do more, for yourself and your sport? If so, we encourage you to apply. Substantial organisation and individual funding is available:
> up to $5000 grants for individuals
> up to $10 000 grants for incorporated organisations
> up to $30 000 (over three years) with the Sport Leadership Pathway Scholarship.

Women from all areas and levels of the Australian sporting community are welcome to apply, including women from culturally diverse backgrounds, Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander women, women from rural and regional areas, and women with disability.

Applications are open now until Friday 30 April 2010. Terms and conditions apply.

For more information, visit ausport.gov.au/women or call 1800 224 412

The third day of competition in Manila saw yet another TOP 8 performance by an Australian athlete.  After the pools, our three Cadet Girl's Foilists were seeded 6th (Cathering Tierney), 15th (Lishan Sung) and 18th (Emily Marotta).  Unfortunately, this meant that Emily and Lishan met in their 32 bout.

Lishan won what was a tough bout and then went on to beat the second-seeded girl from Hong Kong convincingly.  Lishan was then beaten by a Japanese girl, but performed well.  Catherine lost another close bout 15-14 in the round of 32.

In the Cadet Boy's Sabre, Sam Liao promoted to the round of 32 seeded 28th.  Although only marginally behind at the break, Sam could not defeat the 5th seed.

The Cadet Boy's Foil Team competes tomorrow.  They are seeded 8th and begin the morning by fencing India.

The second day of competition has provided mixed results for the Australian Cadet Team in Manila.

The day's highlight has to be a TOP 8 result by Roy Groncki in the Cadet Boy's Epee.  Roy was seeded 6th after the pools having won all but one bout.  In the round of 32, Roy's bout was a very tough match against an unconventional opponent and he managed a very narrow victory.  In the round of 16, against a much higher seed, Roy made much easier work of his bout.  The quarter final saw Roy defeated by a fencer from Kazakhstan.

Unfortunately, none of the other boys promoted to the direct elimination.  Michael Dzodzos scored 1 victory, Henry Mayall-Vandervelde 1 victory and Phillip Todd no victories in the round of pools.

In the Cadet Girl's Sabre, Catherine Tierney won all but one bout in the pools.  She was seeded 7th going into the direct elimination round.  Catherine led by a comfortable margin at the break, but the bout was taken by her Iranian opponent 15-14.

Tomorrow sees the Cadet Girl's Foil and Cadet Boy's Sabre.