FENCING

HAMMERSMITH'S Hannah Bryars would love to hear Scotland the Brave later this year - and the fencing ace is a step closer to her Commonwealth Games dream after a medal haul at the BUCS (British Universities and College Sport) championships last week.

Bryars combines her medical studies at Imperial College with prodding and poking as often as she can in her bid to fence for Scotland at the Games in Australia.

And the 22-year-old's foil was on target yet again when she clinched her fourth consecutive individual gold, as well as team silver and player of the tournament at the national students competition in Sheffield.

Following her university side's final round defeat to Edinburgh at the BUCS tournament you could forgive the 22-year-old for returning to home, just off the Fulham Palace Road, with a pang of regret.

But Bryars, who trains at the Central London Fencing Club in Pimlico, is currently Scotland and Great Britain's second-ranked fencer and now has her sights set on taking her talent on to the international stage.

"I'm aiming to make the Commonwealth team in September," she said.

"I think it's late May or July that they announce the team. They leave it quite late to give everyone the opportunity to compete in some of the Scottish competitions.

"I'm also competing for the Great Britain team and in World Cup tournaments.

"In fact, I'm in Marseille at the end of the month for a tournament - so fingers crossed."