SINGAPORE - National fencer Amita Berthier clinched a bronze medal at the ongoing World Junior & Cadet Fencing Championships in the women's cadet foil event.

The 16-year-old's achievement on Monday night (Bulgaria time) was only Singapore's second medal at these championships, following Lau Ywen's cadet sabre gold last year.

Amita had defeated Anna Taranenko of Ukraine 15-6 to reach the semi-finals , thereby guaranteeing the Singaporean a bronze medal in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, before Amita lost 10-12 to Nora Hajas of Hungary in the final-four match.

Amita, who started training in Boston last October before relocating there in January, said: "It has been a year of tough choices, training and sacrifice to get to this bronze medal on the world stage. I lost my dad 14 months ago, and we were last here in Plovdiv at this very same venue for my world championship debut in 2014.

"At the time, my dad told me: 'Get to the podium one day, Amita! I know you can do this!' Today this medal honours him, my coaches Ralf Bissdorf and Joseph Engert, and my family from across the world.

"My thanks to the Marx Fencing Academy in Boston for having hosted me in the last few months, and all parents who never stopped believing in me."

Amita had finished in the top-eight at last year's edition in France.

She was one of 15 new recipients of the multi-million dollar Sports Excellence Scholarship announced last month by Sport Singapore.