By Stefanus Ian/Red Sports
Joshua was in the top eight in World Cadet (U-17) Championships in 2012 and has a personal target of clinching gold at the 2015 SEA Games as well as qualifying for the 2016 Olympics in Rio. (Photo courtesy of Fencing Singapore)
Shanghai, China, June 5, 2013 — Joshua Ian Lim, 17, finished 14th out of 50 fencers at the 2013 Asian Fencing Championships to stay on course to qualify for the 2016 Olympics in the men’s foil event.
En route to his top 16 placing, Joshua defeated Lebanon’s Shaito Zain, winner of the Asian Olympic Qualifier in 2012. Barring a dip in his form, the Hwa Chong Institution student looks poised to be the first Singaporean fencer to qualify for the 2016 Olympics.
Joshua improved on his top-32 showing in 2012’s event and adds another major milestone to his current accolades which includes a top-8 finish in the 2012 World Cadet (U-17) Championships. Joshua also won all six gold medals on offer at the 2013 South-east Asian Fencing Championships in the senior, junior and cadet individual and team foil categories.
Joshua said: ”I believe there is still room for improvement. I will continue to train hard to achieve my personal target of being selected by SNOC for Asian Games 2014, a gold medal in both the team and individual event at SEA Games 2015, as well as Olympic qualification for 2016.”
Simon Seft, the national foil coach, has reason to be pleased with his protégé’s progress.
“Joshua has a lot of potential. He is still young and is performing better as he move from one competition to the next,” he said.
The Singapore men finished sixth in the team foil event with all the men foil fencers reaching the top 32. Zhang Zhenggang and Tan Yuan Zi finished 28th and 32nd respectively.
Victoria Ann Lim progressed the furthest among the Singaporean women, coming in 31st in the epee event where she lost to eventual bronze medallist, Sun Yujie of China, in the round of 32.
Compatriots Cheryl Lim, Goh Wan Qi and Elizabeth Ann Lim finished 35th, 38th and 43rd respectively in the same category. The women’s team finished eighth in the team event.
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