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Veterans Honored at 2018-19 Annual Awards

12/18/2019, 8:30pm CST
By Nicole Jomantas

(Colorado Springs, Colo.) – Outstanding performances by athletes ages 40 and older were recognized on Dec. 7 at the USA Fencing Veterans Annual Dinner in Salt Lake City.

Six athletes were presented with awards as chosen by the Veteran Awards Subcommittee.

A trio of women were each honored as Female Fencer of the Year in recognition of their gold medal wins at the 2019 Veteran World Championships in Cairo, Egypt. All three athletes also earned bronze medals in the team competition.

Elizabeth Kocab (Farmington Hills, Mich.) won her third straight individual title and sixth overall with her gold medal in the 60-69 epee event, finishing the season undefeated in her age group after three straight wins at the NACs. Kocab also added a third career Vet World medal in the team event with a bronze.

A 2015 Veteran World Champion in the 50-59 saber event, Lydia Fabry (Simi Valley, Calif.) celebrated her entrance into the 60-69 category this season with a second career individual Vet World title just three months after winning Nationals in Columbus. Fabry returned to the podium for a fourth time in the team event, earning bronze.

Jennette Starks-Faulkner (Middletown, Conn.) won the third individual Vet World gold medal of her career in the 60-69 foil event while competing in both the foil and saber events in Cairo. Starks-Faulkner joined with Team USA for a fourth career team medal as well, adding a bronze to her resume.

Josh Runyan (San Diego, Calif.) was honored with the Male Fencer of the Year Award as a first-time Veteran World Champion in the 60-69 saber event. Runyan, who won bronze in this event in 2018 and silver as a 50-59 fencer in 2011, also earned bronze in the team event. The win came on the heels of a perfect NAC season with age group gold medals in all three tournaments.

Saber fencers Paul Apostol (Wyckoff, N.Y.) and Jane Eyre were honored with the Male and Female Lifetime Achievement Awards, respectively.

A two-time Olympian, Apostol won back-to-back Veteran World titles as a +60 fencer in 2006 and 2007 before taking silver in his final competition at the event in 2008.

Team USA’s most decorated veteran fencer, Eyre holds seven World titles in individual competition and three more in team competition. Eyre holds 18 total Veteran World medals, including bronzes in both individual and team events at the 2019 Vet Worlds.

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