A remarkable national debut
At 12, Danica McIntosh won U17 foil gold and U17 épée bronze in her first national-level competition, losing only two bouts across the tournament.
Achievements across every level
KZN Performance
Celebrating KwaZulu-Natal fencers whose preparation, courage and consistency are producing results at provincial, national and continental level.
Bloemfontein • August 2026
Nine medals at the Free State Open
Ten Fencing KZN athletes competed at the University of the Free State and returned with nine medals. Podium finishes across foil, épée and sabre showed the province’s depth across age groups, genders and weapons.
9Medals
5Medallists
3Weapons
6Categories
| Medal | Category | Fencer |
|---|---|---|
| Silver | Senior Men’s Sabre | Mitchum |
| Bronze | Senior Men’s Sabre | Aaron |
| Gold | U17 Women’s Foil | Danica |
| Silver | U17 Women’s Foil | Gianna |
| Bronze | U20 Men’s Foil | Kenley |
| Silver | U17 Women’s Épée | Gianna |
| Bronze | U17 Women’s Épée | Danica |
| Silver | U20 Women’s Sabre | Gianna |
| Bronze | U20 Women’s Foil | Gianna |
Junior champion, senior podium
Reigning South African U20 men’s champion Aaron Drimmie added a senior men’s sabre bronze against experienced national competition.
Results in foil, épée and sabre — from U17 through senior competition — reflect a performance pathway that is developing capable athletes across the full provincial programme.
Junior African Championships, Senegal 2026
Gianna McIntosh
Maestro Fencing School • Representing South Africa and Fencing KZN
At just 14 years old, Gianna McIntosh, representing South Africa and Fencing KZN, delivered an exceptional performance on the continental stage at the 2026 Junior African Fencing Championships in Senegal.
As the youngest member of the South African squad, Gianna showcased remarkable composure and talent well beyond her years, competing across multiple age categories.
Individual Success
- 🥉 Bronze Medal – U15 Women's Épée
- 🥉 Bronze Medal – U17 Women's Épée
Team Achievement
- 🥈 Silver Medal – U17 Women's Épée (Team Event)
Gianna's performance highlights her individual excellence and reflects the strength of the Fencing KZN development pathway — producing athletes capable of competing and medalling at the highest level in Africa.
Junior African Championships, Senegal 2026
Christian Johnson
Maestro Fencing School • Representing South Africa and Fencing KZN
Christian Johnson proudly represented South Africa and Fencing KZN at the Junior African Fencing Championships in Senegal, delivering a strong performance against top continental competition.
Christian was the only South African fencer in his category to progress through to the Direct Elimination rounds, demonstrating resilience and competitive edge on the international stage.
He narrowly missed a place in the Top 16 — an impressive achievement that reflects both his individual growth and the rising standard of Fencing KZN athletes.
Junior National Championships
A dominant force in South African fencing
At the Junior National Championships (13–14 September 2025), hosted in KwaZulu‑Natal, KZN fencers delivered an outstanding showing, confirming the province's growing strength and depth of talent.
2025 South Africa Junior National Championships
KZN proudly produced 5 National Junior Champions:
- 🏅 Aaron Drimmie – U20 Sabre Champion
- 🏅 Gianna McIntosh – U15 Épée Champion & U15 Foil Champion
- 🏅 Kenley McIntosh – U13 Épée Champion
- 🏅 Danica McIntosh – U13 Épée Champion
2025 SA Junior National Championship — Medal Performance
14
Total medals secured by KZN fencers
This performance reflects the strength of Fencing KZN's development pathway, coaching structures, and commitment to nurturing the next generation of national champions.