Catherine Reid finishes Quebec Games in style

Finishing second place two years ago at her first games, the 14 year old athlete was participating for the last time at this great sporting event, which just wrapped up in the regional municipality of Assomption. Her objective was get to one of the three steps of the winner’s podium.

The representative of the Montreal region was touched only six times at seven duels in the preliminary round, thus seizing first position in the individual meet. In the finals she faced Laurence Côté from Lac-Saint-Louis. Leading 6-2, Reid finally took control to win 15-11.

"At 6-2, I said to myself that I would make one touch at a time,” said Reid, who trains at the Claude-Robillard Centre with former Olympic fencer Fleurette Campeau. “A match is just a cluster of touches and then it is a question of a decision."

Catherine’s mother Caroline Guy, a devoted spectator, saw all of her daughter’s duels during the games. She did not worry when her daughter was ahead with four touches in the finals. "What often happens is that Catherine draws from the back," she said.

At the team tournament, she and her partner Malinka Hoppe succeeded with six victories. In the finals, they overcame players from the Lanaudière. This victory made it possible for Reid to get to the highest step on the podium, a second time in 24 hours.

"I dare to hope that this is not my last games,” said the double gold medal-holder old, who has practiced fencing for six years. “I want to return as a referee or as an accompanier.”

According to her trainer, Reid is a girl who has much promise. Campeau wants to give time to her young athlete to finish her period of growth before pushing her to the maximum. “She makes a good fencer," she added. (Translated by Michael Beigleman)