Bousfield bolsters form with a bronze in UK contest

Bousfield, whose club trains at Hemel Hempstead Sports Centre, was third in the girls’ under-19s event, held in Bath and the second ranking competition of the year so far.

An early start to the day last Monday saw the girls begin their day in the fencing hall. With a bumper entry list of 38, it was a long battle for the girls but Isabella Summers, younger sister of 2015 Junior World Champion Francesca, came out on top with a score of 33 victories and four defeats from her 37 bouts.

Bousfield finished the discipline with 26 victories to her name.

In the pool, it was Georgina Mitchell who led the way in a time of 2:20.64, ahead of fellow Plymouth College athlete Annabel Denton (2:21.13) and Germany’s Rosalie Hanel (2:21.30).

A significant improvement in her own swim performance ensured 14-year-old Summers held on to her advantage after the opening two disciplines.

As is often the case, things changed dramatically in the laser run with Sarah Wilson coming through from fifth to take victory. The quickest laser run of the day saw Esther Fernandez move up to second, pipping Bousfield to silver in a sprint finish.

The German Annika Schneider also produced a strong laser run to move up to fourth overall.

Emma Whitaker and Anabel Denton, who finished second and third at the opening ranking competition last month, came home in eighth and ninth respectively on this occasion with Yorkshire Pentathlon Club’s Kezia Barnard rounding out the top 10. Fernandez was one of 16 German athletes competing on the day as part of a week-long training camp in the UK.

The third under-19s ranking event of the year takes place next month at the GB Academy HQ, Whitgift School in London.