Vet Worlds 2024, Day 6: Kocab, Taylor Win Gold as Team USA Sets All-Time Medal Record

DUBAI — Liz Kocab (Plymouth Ann Arbor Fencing Academy) captured her ninth career gold medal on Wednesday at the 2024 Veteran Fencing World Championships, making her the most-decorated American Veteran fencer in history. Kocab’s victory in Vet-70 Women’s Epee was matched by fellow American Daryl Taylor (Fortune Fencing), who won gold in Vet-70 Men’s Epee, earning his first world title in his fifth appearance at Vet Worlds.

These victories contributed to a four-medal day for Team USA, bringing their total to 25 medals — the most ever won in a single Vet Worlds tournament. The previous record of 24 medals was set in 2023, also by Team USA, when the event was held in Daytona Beach, Fla. While Team USA earned more golds last year (13), this year’s medal haul is a historic achievement in overall medals.

Kocab has claimed world titles in every age category for Women’s Epee, winning in 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, and now 2024. Kocab “aged up” to Vet-70 in 2022 and, considering that Vet Worlds wasn’t held in 2020 or 2021, she has won five consecutive golds. 

Her ninth title surpasses Women’s Saber legend Jane Eyre, who has eight world championships (2005, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2023).

But even though she’s alone atop the veteran gold medal rankings for Team USA, Kocab refuses to call herself the GOAT — greatest of all time.

“I mean, the measure of that encompasses so much more,” Kocab says. “I technically won more individuals, but Jane has lots of team gold medals.” 

That’s true — Eyre has four team gold medals to go with her eight individual golds. And besides, Kocab says that representing Team USA and helping raise the country’s medal count is more important than personal glory.

“It really means a lot to me, especially the flag waving,” Kocab says. “It's a deep, deep passion we should all have for our country. And this is my contribution. It means a lot that I've been able to help Team USA stay on top and pave the way for others who will certainly come behind me.”

Kocab hopes her record will one day be surpassed, saying she wants her nine golds to seem like “a drop in the bucket” compared to future accomplishments in U.S. vet fencing.

For Taylor, the journey to a first world title required physical preparation and mental focus — and he looked to the U.S. Olympic fencing team for inspiration.

“I was watching a lot of those young, spectacular athletes and the things they were going through,” he says. “And I was like, Can I draw from some of that? I said, maybe I can process some of that when I come to Vet Worlds this year.”

At 71, Taylor has a message for his fellow septuagenarians — stay active and stay strong.

“Our bodies are spectacular pieces of machinery,” he says. “It ain't gotta be fencing. Just stay fit. Get out there and do something.”

Team USA also added two bronze medals on Day 6. Bruno Goossens (Las Vegas, Nev.) earned a bronze in Vet-70 Men’s Epee, completing his collection of medals with one of every color: gold in 2022, silver in 2019, and now bronze in 2024. Toby Lee (Metro Tacoma Fencing Club) won bronze in Vet-50 Men’s Epee, marking his first Vet Worlds medal in just his second appearance.

As Team USA heads into the final day of competition, attention shifts to the Vet Team Women’s and Men’s Epee events. The U.S. last won gold in the men’s event in 2023 and the women’s in 2022, and both teams are eager to add to the country’s record-breaking medal count.