AN OLDHAM-TRAINED fencing prodigy has gone top of the class after being crowned British men’s Cadet champion.
Alex Lister, who has perfected his craft at Chadderton’s The Manchester Fencing Centre (TMFC), lunged his way through Europe in both individual and GBR Team 1 events, nationally and internationally.
At the final event of his European circuit in Manchester, the British Ranking Circuit’s Cadet Sabre on December 7, the 16-year-old took home the gold, coming first in his category after accumulating the highest number of points across all competitions.
He rounded things off by defeating Yoji Hiyama in the final to be crowned British Cadet Competition 2022.
Alex has also been selected to represent his country’s sabre squad at the attend the European Fencing Confederation’s Cadet event in Bucharest, Romania, later this month.
That will go towards meeting the qualification standard for selection to represent Great Britain at the Cadet European and World Championships.
But Alex, who attends Rishworth School and started at Heathfield Prep as an 11-year-old, sees success as just the start.
He said: “I know I can get even better.
“It’s great to be national champion but I know how much hard work that took and I’m not satisfied. I know there is more to come.”
Alex, who lives in Sowerby Bridge but travels to Oldham for training, was one of three TMFC athletes to finish in the top 10.
But his journey started a long time ago at Heathfield Prep, the junior school to Rishworth, at which he is now in Year 11.
At age 11, Lister joined the school’s beginners fencing club to learn all the basics, something his mother, Andrea Lister, said was an excellent introduction.
For Alex, what started as a hobby soon became a passion and he encourages other young students to join the school’s beginners fencing club.
