( CHAMPION, Foil - Touche Junior Circuit 4/2015 )
* Using 'borrowed' Chess Mind for Surprise Win *
* Using 'borrowed' Chess Mind for Surprise Win *
TODAY, Sunday 23rd August 2015 - In a major upset (as far as Coach GA was concerned),
CM Amir Faiz Amirul was declared, Foil CHAMPION - Touche Junior Circuit 4/2015.
CP can now officially be called " The cHEss PIRATE " when he won his FIRST title at PJ's Jaya Shopping Centre to join the ranks of junior foil winners in Malaysia.
( Foil Medalists - U8/U9 Mixed )
CP fought three times in the pools to win 4-2, 4-1 and 3-2(after added time) to emerge as the Winner of Pool 2. In his third duel of Pool 2, the count were tied 2-2 after full time. After a brief respite, 1 Minute was added on to decide the winner with CP given 'priority'.
Winning his third in as many bouts was enough to see CP emerging as Pool 2 leader and would thus allow him to "delay" meeting the better fencers till the later rounds of the knock-out stages.
All "knock-out" fencers enjoyed a break of around 30minutes before the Finals(QF, SF & Final) begun. The Final stages saw a different variant of the laws used in the Pools. Briefly, it was 8 hits in 6 Minutes with a minute break after 3 minutes in the knock-out stages compared to 4 hits in 3 minutes in the pool rounds.
Knock-Out Stages (First to 8 Hits or 6 minutes):
Quarters: 8 - 0.
Semis: 8 -1.
Final: 8 - 6.
( CP's GA Teammates - All Qualified for Knockout stages )
Credit for the CP's unexpected win which also left the Coach lost for words must of course go to Coach Ghadzali Ahmad for the time and guidance and most of all patience in preparing CM Amir Faiz for the event. Imagine if the training was much more intensive, the results that could have been achieved!? As always, Special Credit must go to his Mum for Always - clearing up CP's Mess...before and after training...and now competition.
In his unexpected march towards the title, he fended-off 2 "experienced" fencers who had taken part in international competitions and in the process he confounded not only Coach GA and family members but also his worst critic, Ayah! Who would have thought an "alleged" fencer without a decent fencing bag, 2nd hand equipment (save for his foil, wires and metallic jacket) could have won in his first competition...and against 2 internationals. For that, I salute CP's determination and thank Allah SWT for his blessings.
(More Pictures & More Story to follow).
