Team USA has taken 11 out of a possible 12 gold medals in the individual and team competitions at the recently completed Pan-American Championships in Havana, Cuba.
After dominating the individual events by winning five out of a possible six gold last week, USA’s men’s sabre team defeated neighbors Canada 45-30 in yesterday’s team final, while the women’s foil team rounded out a near perfect championships by also defeating Canada to claim gold 45-38 on the last day of competition.
Previously, the men’s foil team dominated Brazil to win gold 45-14 and the women’s epee team were also too strong for Canada, winning 45-33 in their final. On the first day of the team events, USA’s men’s epeeists defeated Venezuela 45-36 and the women’s sabre team started what would become a clean-sweep by beating Mexico 45-40.
In individual competition, US fencers were also dominant, with only Argentina’s Jesus Andres Lugones Ruggeri preventing the American’s from winning everything, out-touching Venezuela’s Ruben Lamordo Gascon, 15-10 in the epee on day one of the event.
Among the other individual winners were world number one foilist Race Imboden and Lee Kiefer in the women’s foil, who won an incredible ninth title in a row. Eli Dershwitz won the men’s sabre, Dagmara Wozniak took out the women’s and Kelley Hurley was too good in the women’s epee.
Overall, Team USA won 11 gold, 1 silver and 9 bronze, with Kiefer, Hurley and Imboden all defending their individual titles from last year in Montreal.
Taking to Instagram to celebrate what was his fifth individual Pan-Am title and the foil team’s sixth international victory in a row, Olympian Imboden thanked his team for their support. He wrote:
“Cuba in the books. Double Gold in Individual and Team. My 5th Pan-Am Title and the Teams 6th international victory in a row. Cuba continues to be one of my favorite places to fence. As with every victory small or large thank you to my team.’
Kelley Hurley, who made it three Pan-Am wins in a row, also took to Instagram, posting this caption on the account she shares with her younger sister Courtney, who was also part of the winning team:
“Coming back with two golds from the zonal championships in Havana, Cuba! Kelley won individual and we won team! This team is meant for great things! On our way home now and soon we will be at world championships!”
INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
Men’s Foil
1. Race Imboden (USA)
2. Maximillian Van Haaster (CAN)
3. Alexander Massialas (USA)
3. Gerek Meinhardt (USA)
Men’s Epee
1. Jesus Andres Lugones Ruggeri (ARG)
2. Ruben Limardo Garcom (VEN)
3. Curtis McDowald (USA)
3. Jacob Hoyle (USA)
Men’s Sabre
1. Eli Dershwitz (USA)
2. Shaul Gordon (CAN)
3. Andrew Mackiewicz (USA)
3. Daryl Homer (USA)
Women’s Foil
1. Lee Kiefer (USA)
2. Kalleigh Ryan (CAN)
3. Nzingha Prescod (USA)
3. Nicole Ross (USA)
Women’s Epee
1. Kelley Hurley (USA)
2. Isabel Di Tella (ARG)
3. Guo Zi Shan (CAN)
3. Yamika Rodrigeuz Quesada (CUB)
Women’s Sabre
1. Dagmara Wozniak (USA)
2. Anne-Elizabeth Stone (USA)
3. Maria Belen Perez (ARG)
3. Chloe Fox-Gitomer (USA)
TEAM RESULTS
Team Men’s Foil
1. USA
2. Brazil
3. Canada
Team Men’s Epee
1. USA
2. Venezuela
3. Argentina
Team Men’s Sabre
1. USA
2. Canada
3. Argentina
Team Women’s Foil
1. USA
2. Canada
3. Brazil
Team Women’s Epee
1. USA
2. Canada
3. Cuba
Team Women’s Sabre
1. USA
2. Mexico
3. Venezuela
