USA Fencing

MILAN, Italy — All it took was a bit of mental reframing, and Maia Chamberlain (Manhattan Fencing Center, Advance Fencing And Fitness Academy) was good to go.

Fencing at her first Senior Worlds, Chamberlain lost her first pool bout, 5-1. A little nerves are to be expected, but Chamberlain’s experience and poise helped her bounce back quickly.

“Honestly, I was very, very nervous. I could feel my heart beating very quickly,” she says. “But I also thought, OK, I’ve been here before — the past couple of competitions, I felt the same way. And this time, I knew how to calm myself down a little bit better, and say, ‘You know, warming up? It’s like doing a training camp. Fencing a pools bout? I’m a very strong team fencer, and this five-touch bout is just like a team event.'”

This technique paid off for Chamberlain on Day 3 of the 2023 Fencing World Championships in Italy. She won her remaining five bouts by a combined score of 25-6. She was so successful in the pool round, in fact, that she was one of 16 fencers who advanced from pools directly to Thursday’s main table of 64.

Tatiana Nazlymov (Nazlymov Fencing Foundation) also won all but one pool bout — losing her final matchup by a single touch, 5-4. But as luck would have it, Nazlymov was in one of just six pools with only six fencers. A 4-1 record in pools is not worth as much as a 5-1 record, so she needed to win an all-or-nothing direct-elimination bout for a spot in Thursday’s draw.

Nazlymov says she was frustrated and down “for a good 15 minutes” before shifting back into gear.

“I kind of channeled my energy into doing as best as I can,” she says. “I saw my next match to make Day 2, and I just decided, OK, all the mistakes you made in pools? Let’s fix them. Let’s give our best for one DE.”

And she did, winning by a convincing margin, 15-5.

The strong showings from Chamberlain and Nazlymov ensured that all four Women’s Saber fencers will compete in Thursday’s table of 64.

Elizabeth Tartakovsky (Manhattan Fencing Center, Harvard University) and Magda Skarbonkiewicz (Oregon Fencing Alliance) didn’t need to fence at all on Monday because of their top-16 world rankings.

But even though their presence at the venue wasn’t required, both showed up to cheer on Chamberlain and Nazlymov. During the pools, they were among a dozen blue-clad Team USA fencers, coaches and cadre members hustling back and forth between each strip to cheer their teammates on.

“Everyone needs that extra support,” Tartakovsky says. “And we know each other really well. I just wanted to be there for my teammates, and kind of calm them down, make them believe in themselves.”

Skarbonkiewicz, who has also been on the other side of that support system, agrees.

“When someone feels like there’s a lot of people supporting, clapping, cheering for them, you feel more confident,” she says. “We really want our teammates to make the second day, so we’re just trying to do everything we can from the sideline — just to bring whatever they need to be able to power through to the next day.”

The day’s other action was in Men’s Foil, but no Team USA fencers competed on Monday because all four are currently ranked in the top 16 in the world.

Alexander Massialas OLY, Gerek Meinhardt OLY, Nick Itkin OLY and Miles Chamley-Watson OLY have been training, taking lessons and getting themselves mentally prepared for their first taste of the 2023 Worlds on Thursday.

Women’s Saber

Elizabeth Tartakovsky:

• Exempt from pools and moves straight to Thursday’s table of 64

Magda Skarbonkiewicz:

• Exempt from pools and moves straight to Thursday’s table of 64

Maia Chamberlain:

• Pools: 5-1 (+15 indicator)
• Based on pools result (10th best), advanced directly to Thursday’s table of 64

Tatiana Nazlymov:

• Pools: 4-1 (+10 indicator)
• Preliminary Round of 128: Bye
• Preliminary Round of 64: Defeated Alena Lisina (AIN), 15-5

Men’s Foil

Alexander Massialas OLY:

• Exempt from pools and moves straight to Thursday’s table of 64

Gerek Meinhardt OLY:

• Exempt from pools and moves straight to Thursday’s table of 64

Nick Itkin OLY:

• Exempt from pools and moves straight to Thursday’s table of 64

Miles Chamley-Watson OLY:

• Exempt from pools and moves straight to Thursday’s table of 64

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