When many people think of fencing, or simply fencers, they perhaps imagine highly skilled, masked white men poking at each other with pointy sticks while buzzers blare in the background. What these people may not know is that behind a few of these masks lie ambitious black faces competing for gold medals among some of the world’s greatest fencing athletes.
Here’s where BlackEnterprise.com steps in. While conducting a little research in preparation for the 2015 Black Enterprise Golf & Tennis Challenge, BlackEnterprise.com stumbled upon a few gems in the fencing industry that may inspire you to take advantage of fencing as it makes its debut at this year’s Challenge, Labor Day Weekend, Sept. 3—6 at the PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Register now.
For registration, information, and updates on the BE Golf &Tennis Challenge, September 3—6, at the PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, visit www.blackenterprise.com/events/golf-tennis-challenge. When registering for BEGT, use discount code LABORDAY for a special discounted rate. For social media updates, follow hashtag #BEGT.
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Maya Lawrence
Maya Lawrence competed on the 2012 Olympic team where she placed 16th as an individual competitor and earned a bronze medal with the Team USA fencing team. Lawrence was a three-time All-American at Princeton before qualifying for the Olympic team for the London Games at the age of 32.
Daryl Homer
Currently ranked as No. 1 in the U.S., and No. 6 in the world, Daryl Homer is a two-time Junior World Medalist. In 2015, Homer brought home the silver in the Pan American Championships and placed 10th in the Warsaw World Cup. Homer placed sixth in the 2012 Olympic Games and went on to receive a bachelor’s degree in marketing from St. John’s University in 2013.
Nzingha Prescod
Nzingha Prescod is a senior at Columbia University. In 2011 she was deemed Ivy League Rookie of the Year and was also named a two-time, First-Team All-Ivy winner in 2011 and 2013. Prescod is currently ranked No. 2 in the U.S.
Miles Chamley-Watson
Ranked No. 3 in the nation, and No. 12 in the world, Chamley-Watson competed in his first Olympic games in 2012 where he placed fourth with Team USA. On Aug. 9, 2013 Chamley-Watson made history by becoming the first U.S. men’s fencer to win an individual Senior World Championship title. Thus far, in 2015, Chamley-Watson has brought home gold medals at the Shanghai Grand Prix, Paris World Cup, and Pan American Championships.
Ben Bratton
In discussing black fencers it is imperative to mention Ben Bratton who became the first African American and the youngest American to ever win a gold medal at a World Fencing Championship. A graduate of St. John’s University, Bratton also won the gold in 2015 at the Pan American Championships with the USA Men’s Fencing Team. This year he took home the bronze medal at the USA Fencing National Championship, Division I. Bratton is currently ranked No. 157 in the world.
For more information on competitive fencing, be sure to visit www.usfencing.org.