In the demanding world of elite sport, careers are typically measured in years, not decades. Yet at 44, Estonian epee fencer Irina Embrich continues to compete at the highest international level, defying conventional wisdom about athletic longevity. From her first...
After achieving unprecedented success with the Japanese national epee team, Alexander Gorbachuk shocked the fencing world by accepting a new challenge in Kazakhstan. This transition, coming immediately after securing both individual Gold and team Silver medals at the...
In the world of international fencing, few stories are as remarkable as Alexander Gorbachuk's transformation of Japanese epee. Over the past 15 years, his coaching has elevated Japan from a peripheral presence to an Olympic powerhouse, fundamentally reshaping the...
Almost four years ago, we interviewed rising star in epee Yuval Freilich, who at the time had just won his first Gold medal at the European Championships. At the time, we wrote that it would not be the last time you would hear from him, and that we predicted he would...
Taking a team to the highest level of fencing is a task that’s filled with tough decisions, long hours, and much sacrifice on the part of everyone involved. Getting there takes a team effort, and it takes a fencing coach with vision like Alexander Gorbachuk....
Understanding the dynamics of international fencing is fascinating for those of us who work primarily on the youth sports level. It is so incredibly different, from the methods of training to the rigor that is required. The stress of this level of competition takes...
This is the story of one coach who went down in the history of Japanese fencing and world fencing through perseverance and strength of character. For the world, one moment of Olympic Gold can seem like just one moment. For Alexander Gorbachuk, that one moment is the...
There are very few companies that can say they have gone on for one hundred years, but Leon Paul is one of them. When the company was founded by Barry Paul’s grandfather, Leon Paul, no one could have foreseen the changes that would come in the world of fencing. Yet...
For fencers, our equipment is a central figure in what we do. We talk about this all the time - our swords are an extension of who we are. For fourth-generation Leon Paul co-owner and Director Ben Paul, making top quality fencing equipment with compassion is clearly...
Not all insight in fencing comes from the big names in the sport. Sometimes it’s the people that you haven’t heard of who can offer the most potent and relatable understanding of the sport. Rick Mayer has been fencing for decades, from his teenage years all the way to...
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