January NAC Day 1 Recap: Miles Chamley-Watson’s Gold Among the First Day’s Highlights

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Even when trailing, a bout isn’t over until the final touch. Just ask two-time Olympian Miles Chamley-Watson OLY.

Chamley-Watson trailed several times Friday but didn’t get disheartened. He kept fighting all the way to the top of the podium, going home with gold at the January 2023 NAC.

“I think, mentally, I always know that I can come back on anybody,” he says. “I’ve put in some some very serious work with Misha [Itkin], my coach. And I think preparation just made me know, even when I’m losing I can come back. I’d say 80% of today I was coming back. So it's a very strong mental plan, so I’m very happy with that.”

Chamley-Watson’s win was among the highlights during an action-packed first day of fencing at the January 2023 North American Cup. Friday featured 12 events, with gold medals awarded in Division I Men’s Foil, Junior Women’s Foil and 10 different Veterans events. 

Throughout the day, Chamley-Watson and fellow Olympians Alexander Massialas OLY and Gerek Meinhardt OLY were approached by younger fencers seeking autographs or photos. And each time, they obliged — even as they were mentally preparing for their next bouts. It’s just another sign of Chamley-Watson’s desire to help the next generation of fencers however he can.

“I have a big responsibility to the sport that has given me so much to also give back to the kids that look up to me,” he says. “And, you know, I love to give. But also, I'm learning to kind of juggle being an ambassador while also trying to be the best fencer in the world. It’s all a learning process, but I think I've done a pretty good job of kind of keeping them both top of my mind without losing focus on each one.”

Part of Chamley-Watson’s ability to focus throughout a long day of fencing comes from his training. Working with his Red Bull team, Chamley-Watson completes a training regimen meant to simulate his time on the strip — even without always holding an actual foil.

“I’m lucky that my Red Bull team created a program for me that simulates fencing a little bit,” he says. “So we’ll do 30 seconds on, five seconds off. So I think my endurance is very strong, and it does come from preparation.”

Division I Men's Foil

Gold: Miles Chamley-Watson OLY (Fencers Club Inc.)

Silver: Alexander Massialas OLY (Massialas Foundation (M Team))

Bronze: Andrew Chen (Bluegrass Fencers' Club)

Bronze: Ethan I. Gassner (Golden State Fencing Academy)

5: Sidarth Kumbla (New York Athletic Club / Silicon Valley Fencing Center)

6: Yi-Tung Chen (SCAD- Atlanta Fencing / Epic Fencing Club)

7: Bryce Louie (LA International Fencing)

8: Justice Cullivan (Columbus Fencing and Fitness LLC)

Junior Women's Foil

Gold: Katerina Lung (Moe Fencing Club LLC)

Silver: Emily Jing (Star Fencing Academy)

Bronze: Kimberley Jang (Fencers Club Inc.)

Bronze: Sabrina Fang (Tim Morehouse Fencing Club (Port Chester))

5: Mikayla Chusid (Gutkovskiy Fencing Academy)

6: Hailey M. Eyer (Manchen Academy of Fencing)

7: Alina Lee (Massialas Foundation (M Team) / The Ohio State University NCAA)

8: Sophia H. Shen (Star Fencing Academy)

Vet Women's Epee (Combined)

Gold: Kristin Foellmer (DC Fencers Club)

Silver: Sharrie A. Zafft (Marx Fencing Academy)

Bronze: Jeannine A. Prokop (Nova Fencing Club)

Bronze: Haejung Hofman (Academy of Fencing Masters (AFM))

5: Klaudia Shick (Bucks County Academy of Fencing - West)

6: Sandra M. Marchant (Rogue Fencing Academy / The Phoenix Center)

7: Charlotta Bowie (Modern Duelists Fencing Academy)

8: Alexandra Swenson (Ataba Fencing Club)

Vet-40 Women's Saber

Gold: Yelena Kalkina (Oregon Fencing Alliance)

Silver: Kate Sierra (Atlantic Fencing Academy)

Bronze: Lynn Y. Zhang (PDX Fencing)

Bronze: Elisabet Chiarelli (Manhattan Fencing Center)

5: Laura S. Johnson

6: Ranjani Hild (Zeta Fencing)

7: Clare L. Deming (Lilov Fencing Academy)

8: Beth Debertin (Center for Blade Arts)

Vet-50 Women's Saber

Gold: Julie T. Seal (Valkyrie Fencing Club)

Silver: Frauke Berman (Manhattan Fencing Center)

Bronze: Jamie Willemse (PDX Fencing)

Bronze: Emmanuelle C. Jean (Texas Fencing Academy)

5: Jasmina Denner (Scarsdale Fencing Center)

6: Eileen Foley (Denver Fencing Center)

7: Shannon Dudnick (Fencing Academy of Denver)

8: Dawn J. Wilson (Louisville Fencing Center Inc.)

Vet-60 Women's Saber

Gold: Lydia L. Fabry (Avant Garde Fencers Club Inc (CA) (AGFC)/

South Bay Fencing Academy)

Silver: Heidi Runyan (Spartak)

Bronze: Robin J. Pernice (Dynamo Fencing Center Inc.)

Bronze: Rebecca R. Freyre (Denver Fencing Center)

5: Cynthia (Cindy) H. Starr (Bergen Fencing Club)

6: Nam Heui Kim (Cambridge Fencing Center)

7: Jayne A. Jerkins (Capital Fencing Academy)

8: Beth S. Vance (Renaissance Fencing Club)

Vet-70 Women's Saber

Gold: Jane E. Eyre (Infinity Fencing Alliance)

Silver: Delia M. Turner (Delaware Valley Fencers Club-PA)

Bronze: Linda J. J. Dunn (IndySabre / Indianapolis Fencing Club)

Bronze: Jeannine M. Bender (Capital Fencing Academy)

5: Judith (Jude) A. Offerle (RedStar Fencing Club Chicago / University Of Notre Dame NCAA)

6: Agota Balot (Atlantic Fencing Academy)

7: Gemin Channing (Rockville Fencing Academy / Nazlymov Fencing Foundation)

8: Beth S. Vance (Renaissance Fencing Club)

Vet-40 Men's Epee

Gold: Adam W. Maczik (Marx Fencing Academy)

Silver: Thomas Cheng (Stoccata Fencing Academy & Club / Penta Olympic Fencing Club)

Bronze: Nicholas A. Locasale (LA International Fencing)

Bronze: Eric Pho (Fencers Club Inc.)

5: Scott E. Rostal (Twin Cities Fencing Club)

6: Jeffrey S. Ozanne (Twin Cities Fencing Club)

7: Derek H. Wilkinson (On Target Fencing Team)

8: David Reed (Rain City Fencing Center)

Vet-50 Men's Epee

Gold: Aaron Gaines (No Fear Fencing / San Diego Fencing Center)

Silver: Jeffrey H. Snider (DC Fencers Club)

Bronze: Joseph H. Deucher (DC Fencers Club)

Bronze: Keith H. Lichten (East Bay Fencers Gym)

5: Jon M. Normile (New York Athletic Club)

6: John F. Teitenberg (Nashville Academy of Fencing)

7: Darcy C. Gates (Canada)

8: Erich L. Cranor (Northwest Fencing Center)

Vet-60 Men's Epee

Gold: Walter E. Dragonetti (Battle Born Fencing Club / Hooked On Fencing)

Silver: Fred Frank (Northwest Fencing Center)

Bronze: David Jensen (Fortune Fencing)

Bronze: Michael D. Hughes (DC Fencers Club)

5: Sean Ameli (Battle Born Fencing Club)

6: Timothy C. Glass (Ataba Fencing Club)

7: Andrew J. O'Dowd (Fencing Academy of Philadelphia)

8: Jr. Eli M. Delgado (Battle Born Fencing Club)

Vet-70 Men's Epee

Gold: Daryl J. Taylor (Fortune Fencing)

Silver: Charles (Charlie) J. Schneider (Plymouth/Ann Arbor Fencing Academy)

Bronze: James E. Flint (Bucks County Academy of Fencing)

Bronze: Bruno Goossens (Oregon)

5: Mark V. Ballard (Canada)

6: Jere P. Bothelio (Academy Of Fencing Masters (AFM) / Fortune Fencing)

7: Solomon (Sol) Weingarten (East Bay Fencers Gym)

8: Malcolm (Werewolf) D. Patterson (Rockville Fencing Academy)

Vet-80 Men's Epee

Gold: Kazimieras M. Campe (DC Fencers Club)

Silver: Dick Weber (Denver Fencing Center)

Bronze: Mark R. Henry (Chevy Chase Fencing Club)

Bronze: James (Jim) H. Adams (DC Fencers Club)

5: James Gallivan (Fortune Fencing / San Dimas Fencing Academy)