USA Fencing

(Colorado Springs, Colo.) – Team USA concluded the individual portion of the Pan Am Games competition on Tuesday with three more trips to the podium to bring Team USA’s total medal count leading into the team events to eight medals, including five gold and two silver. 

Sisters Courtney and Kelley Hurley (San Antonio, Texas) finished the pools seeded second and fourth, respectively, to enter the main table on opposite sides of the draw.

In the semifinals, Kelley, a 2008 Olympian, earned an easy victory over Elida Aguero (ARG), 15-4. Courtney and 2010 Pan American Champion Yamirka Rodriguez (CUB) battled throughout the semis and ended nine minutes of regulation time with a score of 12-12. In overtime, Courtney scored the winning touch to end the bout, 13-12, and earn the right to defend her 2007 Pan Am Games title.

The win set up the second All-Hurley final of the year in an international event.

“I’m really not surprised that I ended up fighting Courtney for the gold,” said Kelley who won their last bout at the Pan American Championships in July. “We end up fighting each other a lot and this was the second time this year. In every fight, it could go either way.”

In another close bout between the siblings, older sister Kelley outscored Courtney, 15-13, to win the gold. 

“If you have to lose to someone, it’s better to lose to your sister,” Courtney said. “To us, we really got two golds. We don’t consider it first and second.”

Competing at the Pan Am Games for the first time, 2008 Olympic silver medalist Tim Morehouse (New York City, N.Y.) advanced to the finals after a 15-9 over Joseph Polossifakis (CAN) in the semis.

In the gold medal bout, Morehouse was matched against Philippe Beaudry (CAN), the four-time Pan Am Championships medalist who defeated Morehouse’s 2008 Olympic teammate James Williams (New York City, N.Y.), 15-14, in the table of 16.

Morehouse fought hard, but Beaudry edged the reigning National Champion to win the bout, 15-14.

“I’m 33 and this was my first Pan American Games, so it would have been great to take the gold, but I’m just proud to be here,” said Morehouse. “Now I’m looking forward to and very excited to fence team. What a joy to represent your country individually and then with a team – hopefully we’ll bring home the gold on Saturday.”

Morehouse, Williams and teammate Ben Igoe (Staten Island, N.Y.) will fence in the team event on Saturday. The Hurleys also will compete in the team competition where they will be joined by Lindsay Campbell (Brooklyn, N.Y.)