The Year 9 Truro High student has been selected to compete for Great Britain with the GBR Cadet team at international competitions in Bulgaria and Germany.
She is one of only 14 of the UK’s top young female fencers to earn her place at these prestigious international competitions.
She will be flying out with the team for the first of these this weekend and again at the end of the month.
Her selection comes after Melissa was ranked 8th in the UK in the under 17 girls sabre.
Melissa is no stranger to competing for her country having been selected to compete with the GBR Cadet team in Hungary this October. She has also previously competed with the England U13 and U15 Sabre squads.
The young fencer continues her busy training schedule with sessions up to four times a week for up to 2 ½ hours in preparation for her next international championships.
Melissa started fencing when she was just six years old using a soft foam sabre. She trains with Truro Fencing Club at the club’s headquarters in town.