Barnet's under-17 fencing team showed plenty of skill and style to win the gold medal in the London Heathrow Youth Games at Crystal Palace at the weekend.

James Mattocks sealed the triumph, building on the work of Isobel Freeman and James Nicolau. All three fence at the Finchley Foils Club.

Mattocks and Freeman have been fencing for five years and have been selected for the England youth squad.

The U15 team of James Davis, Ben Towse and Marion Boulicault were seventh in their age group.

Three times national champion Jean-Rene Badrick and Olympic youth silver medallist Lee Shinkin were strong gold medallists in the judo.

Jean-Rene won the U50kg category, and 16-year-old Lee, from Hendon School, triumphed in the U60kg group.

Another individual medallist was Mathew Douglas, who took silver in the trampoline contest.

Twelve-year-old Linden Berelovitz, who took up archery less than a year ago, produced an outstanding performance to take silver in the U12 age group.

In the diving competition, a young side from Barnet Copthall Club performed well. Karen McFarlane was fourth and Peter Keech eighth in the U17 event and Natalie deFreitas and Jonathon King were seventh in the U14s.

The games are the largest youth sports event in Europe, attracting over 12,500 competitors at the weekend.

They are aimed at boys and girls between eight and 17 and comprise 36 sports, from angling to volleyball.

Barnet also fielded 23 teams in the mini-games, an event for younger children held a month before the main competition.

They were well-placed in several events but by not taking part in all of them, they finished 32nd out of 33.

- To take part in these sports or in administration, call Toby Wilson on 020 8359 3308.

July 17, 2002 15:30