Team USA’s All-Crimson Squad Grabs Gold in Hungary

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Two hours after the Harvard Fencing Team clinched its second national championship, a squad of four Harvard saber fencers brought home more glory for the Crimson — and for the red, white and blue.

It happened nearly 5,000 miles from Columbus, Ohio, in Budapest, Hungary, where the Men’s Saber squad of Eli Dershwitz OLY, Filip Dolegiewicz, Colin Heathcock and Mitchell Saron took home team gold.

Dershwitz, Dolegiewicz and Saron are Harvard grads, while the 18-year-old Heathcock has committed to attend the university this fall.  

But they were representing Team USA in Budapest, and they looked strong. Entering the competition ranked No. 3 in the world, the Americans defeated the World No. 1 (Korea), No. 2 (Hungary) and No. 5 (Italy) on the way to gold.

Earlier this month, the guys secured an Olympics spot for Team USA Men's Saber, meaning the team event at this tournament was exclusively about improving their seeding ahead of the Olympic Games Paris 2024. 

Great job, athletes, coaches and cadre!

Next up, the guys get a break before the April NAC and Division I National Championships at the end of April, followed by the Seoul Grand Prix, May 4–6.

Team event: Gold medal

Individual event

11th: Eli Dershwitz OLY

12th: Colin Heathcock

36th: William Morrill

46th: Andrew Doddo

62nd: Lev BenAvram

69th: Daryl Homer OLY

72nd: Grant Williams

74th: Antonio Heathcock

91st: Mitchell Saron

93rd: Quinten Burgunder

101st: Filip Dolegiewicz

223rd: Adam Barnett

Team event: 6th place

Individual event

21st: Kasia Nixon

41st: Isis Washington

42nd: Anne Cebula

60th: Margherita Guzzi Vincenti

68th: Francesca Bassa

77th: Kat Holmes OLY

82nd: Natalia Toby

89th: Kai Liu

97th: Hadley Husisian

126th: Victoria Zhang

147th: Leehi Machulsky

Team event: 24th place

Individual event

25th: Yeisser Ramirez OLY

26th: Gary North

45th: Theodore Lombardo

63rd: Nicholas Lawson

73rd: Ari Simmons

74th: Jonas Hansen

89th: Ian Sanders

116th: Samuel Imrek

164th: Simon Lioznyansky

168th: Omari Smoak

215th: Justin Yoo

268th: Cooper Schumacher