A PROMISING young fencer helped Wales to their highest finish in the Excalibur team event at Bath University over the weekend.

13-year-old Olivia Barbieri from Rogiet was representing Glamorgan, the only Welsh county included in the invitation event, winning two of her fights against adult opposition.

Her mum Jaine explained that while the other 10 competitors were English county teams, Wales is invited as a county rather than a nation.

“Everyone in the teams fights everyone in the opposing team and the points all add up,” Jaine said.

“The other teams were mostly adults of many years’ experience and certainly all older than Olivia and bigger and stronger.

“But Olivia did well, scoring lots of points, took a woman twice her size (and three times her age) to 4-5 and beat another lady 5-4.

“On Sunday, Olivia had another good day and won another fight and Glamorgan – which normally finishes last in the competition – finished seventh.”

This weekend, Olivia will be competing in the British Youth Championships being held in Sheffield.