{mosimage} Originally a baseball player in high school, Ivan was first introduced to the sport when his cousins invited him to a fencing practice. While he didn’t find immediate success, after a few sessions, he was hooked on the sport.
This season, Lee capped off the World Cup season with a bronze medal at the 2004 New York Grand Prix of Sabre and was part of the team that knocked off #1 Russia to earn gold at the team event. When watching the team final against Spain, Lee put himself forward as the catalyst for the team.
Each time Lee scores in the team event, it’s clear that he is pumped. His energy brought the US crowd into the match and provided a boost to his US teammates.
On the strip, Lee pushes and presses. He is so fast off the mark that he doesn’t give his opponent a chance to push, much less think. The aggressiveness has paid off, as Lee put together a pair of strong tournaments (#3 in New York followed by #7 in Havana, Cuba) to break into the top-20 in the current world rankings.
Ivan Lee is another product of the Peter Westbrook Foundation. Approached by six-time U.S. Olympic team member and 1984 bronze medallist, Peter Westbrook, Ivan was told that he had potential in the sport and would soon need to decide between baseball and fencing. The difficult decision has paid off for Ivan, now a member of the 2004 Olympic Team.
Look for Lee and the rest of the US team to make a strong push in the team event in Athens. They have proven that they can take on the best in the world and have completed the season with some strong finishes. They seem to be peaking at the right time.
Ivan Lee Career Highlights:
2001 and 2003 National Champion
12th, 2003 World Championships
Double Gold, 2003 Pan American Games, individual and team
Two-time NCAA individual saber champion, winning in 2001 and 2002 for St. John’s.