THERE was an undoubted sense of deja vue when Malvern Hills Fencing Club’s Alex Powell stepped onto the podium to take two medals at the Junior Commonwealth Championships – after her elder sister had done exactly the same three years previously.
Eighteen-year-old Alex returned from the championships in Newcastle with a team gold and an individual bronze in the under-20 epee event to follow in the footsteps of sister Elisabeth who won team golf and individual silver when the competition was held in 2015 in South Africa.
The eight-day championships attracted fencers from across the globe including Canada, South Africa, Australia and India and Alex, from Wythall, upset her seeding of 14 to reach the individual semi-finals after beating opponents from England, Wales and India.
Then Powell, who started fencing at Kings Norton High School, continued her success in the team event, taking points throughout all the rounds and helping England defeat Canada in the final.
It rounded off an excellent season for the teenager, who, despite being in his first year as a junior, also finished an impressive 22nd in the European Under-23 Championships.
Parents Amanda and Guy said they were thrilled to see Alex’s had work rewarded.
“It was fantastic to see Alex come away with two medals, especially after Elisabeth had done the same,” said Amanda.
“She travels to London and Manchester to train as part of the national talent programme so she puts in a lot of time and effort.”
Remarkably, both Elisabeth and Alex have been English and British champions more than once in their age groups, while another sister, Kathryn, has also won national medals in her sport of rhythmic gymnastics.