PARIS, France - The final day of wheelchair fencing at the 2024 Paralympic Games saw Team USA take the strip for the women’s and men’s epee team events.
The men’s team faced Brazil in the Round of 16 where Garrett Schoonover shined, putting up nine points in his second round of the match.
Schoonover said, “It's always fun when you can go on a run like that, where you can bring your team back from a deficit.”
Teammates Noah Hanssen and Byron Branch also put up a fight in the match. Hanssen put up five points in his final round of the match.
“It’s been an awesome adventure, and to be a part of the team that kind of broke the streak of not qualifying a full team. It's an achievement in itself. We've got a long way to go before we get to LA but this was the first step, and we made that first step,” said Schoonover.
In the women’s matchup against Hong Kong, China, Team USA fought hard. Victoria Isaacson outscored her opponent 6-5 in her first round, and did the same again in her final round. The same story goes for Jataya Taylor who won two rounds of her own.
Reflecting on the matchup today, and looking ahead, Isaacson said “I feel pretty good. I think I ended the day on a high note, despite maybe not feeling too well. But I feel like my fencing was very good, and I'm really looking forward to doing even better in LA, and just really continuing onward and upward.”
“This is definitely an emotional games, and the fact that no matter how our bouts turned out, we had our teammates there to support us. So even a loss is hard, but the teammates just make it magical, because then you're not dwelling on that loss, right? So to be here, it's awesome, but to be here with my team just makes it that much better,” said Taylor.
Full September 7 Results for Team USA
Women’s Epee Team Event
Round of 16
Team USA lost to Hong Kong, China, 45-36
Men’s Epee Team Event
Round of 16
Team USA lost to Brazil, 45-24