The combat sport is governed globally by the Fédération Internationale d'Escrime (FIE), which was established in November 1913, in Paris. The founding members were Belgium, Bohemia, France, Great Britain, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, and Norway. Fencing as a sport dates back to the 14th century and is claimed by both, Germans and Italians to be of their origin. The majority of the nomenclature for fencing's principal motions was assigned by Frenchman Henri Saint-Didier around 1570.
Fencing was also one of the very first sports to be represented at the first-ever modern Olympic Games in 1896. Then, sword masters and teachers were permitted to participate as well; however, women's fencing debuted at the 1924 Olympic Games.
Hungary, France, and Italy have dominated fencing at the Olympics, with a total of 130, 123, and 90 medals, respectively. Italian Edoardo Mangiarotti holds the most Olympic fencing medals, with 13, followed by Hungarian Aladár Gerevich, who has 10, including seven golds, which is also the most by any athlete.
The List of Olympic Medalists of Team USA in Fencing
The United States of America is ranked 10th with 33 medals overall, including four golds, out of the 39 nations on the medal table that have won at least one medal. Let us take a closer look at the medalist.
The list of Olympic medalists for Team USA in fencing is as follows:
Year | Event | Name | Medal |
1904 | Foil, Individual, Men | Albertson Van Zo Post | Silver |
1904 | Foil, Individual, Men | Charles Tatham | Bronze |
1904 | Foil, Team, Men | Charles Tatham, Fitzhugh Townsend, Arthur Fox | Silver |
1904 | Épée, Individual, Men | Charles Tatham | Silver |
1904 | Épée, Individual, Men | Albertson Van Zo Post | Bronze |
1904 | Sabre, Individual, Men | William Grebe | Silver |
1904 | Sabre, Individual, Men | Albertson Van Zo Post | Bronze |
1904 | Single Sticks, Individual, Men | Albertson Van Zo Post | Gold |
1904 | Single Sticks, Individual, Men | William Scott O'Connor | Silver |
1904 | Single Sticks, Individual, Men | William Grebe | Bronze |
1920 | Foil, Team, Men | Henry Breckinridge, Francis Honeycutt, Arthur Lyon, Harold Rayner, Robert Sears | Bronze |
1928 | Épée, Individual, Men | George Calnan | Bronze |
1932 | Foil, Individual, Men | Joe Levis | Silver |
1932 | Foil, Team, Men | George Calnan, Joe Levis, Dernell Every, Hugh Alessandroni, Frank Righeimer, Richard Steere | Bronze |
1932 | Épée, Team, Men | George Calnan, Gustave Heiss, Tracy Jaeckel, Miguel de Capriles, Curtis Shears, Frank Righeimer | Bronze |
1948 | Sabre, Team, Men | Norman Armitage, George Worth, Tibor Nyilas, Dean Cetrulo, Miguel de Capriles, James Flynn | Bronze |
1960 | Foil, Individual, Men | Albie Axelrod | Bronze |
1984 | Sabre, Individual, Men | Peter Westbrook | Bronze |
2004 | Sabre, Individual, Women | Mariel Zagunis | Gold |
2004 | Sabre, Individual, Women | Sada Jacobson | Bronze |
2008 | Sabre, Team, Men | Tim Morehouse, Jason Rogers, Keeth Smart, James Williams | Silver |
2008 | Foil, Team, Women | Emily Cross, Erinn Smart, Hanna Thompson | Silver |
2008 | Sabre, Individual, Women | Mariel Zagunis | Gold |
2008 | Sabre, Individual, Women | Sada Jacobson | Silver |
2008 | Sabre, Individual, Women | Becca Ward | Bronze |
2008 | Sabre, Team, Women | Sada Jacobson, Becca Ward, Mariel Zagunis | Bronze |
2012 | Épée, Team, Women | Kelley Hurley, Maya Lawrence, Susie Scanlan, Courtney Hurley | Bronze |
2016 | Foil, Individual, Men | Alexander Massialas | Silver |
2016 | Sabre, Individual, Men | Daryl Homer | Silver |
2016 | Foil, Team, Men | Miles Chamley-Watson, Alexander Massialas, Gerek Meinhardt, Race Imboden | Bronze |
2016 | Sabre, Team, Women | Ibtihaj Muhammad, Dagmara Wozniak, Mariel Zagunis, Monica Aksamit | Bronze |
2020 | Foil, Team, Men | Alexander Massialas, Nick Itkin, Gerek Meinhardt, Race Imboden | Bronze |
2020 | Foil, Individual, Women | Lee Kiefer | Gold |
FAQ's On Olympic Medalists in Fencing
A. Yes, fencing is one of the sports held at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
A. Yes, fishing has been a consistent Olympic sport since 1896.
A. At the Olympics, fencing includes three disciplines: épée fencing, foil fencing, and sabre fencing.
A. No, fencing is the second fastest sport at the Olympics. The fastest sport is kitesurfing.
A. A lot of fencers believe that the foil is the hardest weapon to become proficient with.