Polish city Toruń is set to host the 2019 Junior and Cadets World Fencing Championships with competition scheduled to begin tomorrow ©Toruń 2019

Polish city Toruń is set to host the 2019 Junior and Cadets World Fencing Championships, with competition scheduled to begin tomorrow.

The nine-day event will be held at the Arena Toruń and will see medals awarded in competitions using all three weapons - épée, foil and sabre.

The United States topped the medal count for the first time at last year's event.

Fencers from the nation claimed a total haul of 14 medals, including three golds.

It secured an overall runners-up finish behind Russia, who managed to win five golds in a nine-medal haul.

The United States will be looking to defend their title in the junior women's team foil event ©USA Fencing
The United States will be looking to defend their title in the junior women's team foil event ©USA Fencing

Of the 40 fencers representing the US this year, 21 of them are returning members of the 2018 team.

Among them is all four members of the side that won the junior women’s team foil title - Sylvie Binder, Lauren Scruggs, May Tieu and Delphine DeVore.

The number two-ranked team in the world has won the gold medal at three of its four events this season and is seeking both individual and team podium finishes.

Binder, the anchor, enters as the number three-ranked junior fencer in the world and will compete in Toruń on the back of victory at last month’s National Collegiate Athletic Association Championships in Cleveland. 

The 2016 cadet world champion missed the individual podium last year with a fifth-place finish, but she has been a constant fixture on the Junior World Cup podium this season, winning three straight gold medals in the last three events and taking bronze in her first tournament of the season.