Hannah (right) with her bronze medal-winning team

Hannah James has been selected to represent Wales in the women's epee (fencing) team. Hannah will be competing for Wales at the Cymru UK School Games Wales which will be held in South Wales over the 4th/5th/6th Sept 2009.

Hannah won a bronze medal in fencing, in the U17 epee event at the UK Schools Games which was held in Bath in 2008. This was a remarkable achievement for Hannah as she only started fencing at Ddraig Wern (Gwernyfed) Fencing Club just over a year before. Hannah and her other inexperienced team members were then fencing against far more experienced opposition. Hannah was only one of only three fencers at the event who competed without an official ranking. In fact the UKSG 2008 was Hannah's first real competition, having competed at only one local event before.

Former UK No1 and current Welsh International Meg Shepherd-Foster, who coaches Hannah said at the time: “For three novices to be competing and winning medals for their country so soon after taking up a new sport is extraordinary! The event itself was spectacular, with innovative scoring technology being used and an impressive arena to compete in. I know that I would have been hugely inspired by the event and I am so pleased that fencing is going to be included up to 2011. Perhaps one of these girls will be competing at a certain small event in London in 2012? Who knows...?”

The fencing event in the 2009 UKSG will be held in Cardiff University.

Head of Christ College Emma Taylor said: "We are all delighted at Hannah's selection to represent Wales at the Cymru UK Schools Games Wales. Hannah is still relatively new to this sport but she is an incredibly gifted athlete. Her selection for Wales is fitting reward for the hard work and dedication she puts in."

Hannah's selection adds to the signigificant involvement that Christ College pupils have had in the build up the Cymru UK School Games Wales. Christ College's hockey international, Emily James, has been invited to be a UK School Games spokesperson.

Emily, who competed for Wales in the 2008 UK School Games in Bristol and Bath last summer, attended the launch of the Cymru UK School Games Wales 2009 on Wednesday 4th March.

Emily joined this year's Games ambassador, Olympic gold medallist Darren Cambell, the chief executive of Youth Sport Trust Steve Grainger, and First Minister Rhodri Morgan at the official launch at Cardiff Castle.