Former Notre Dame fencer Nick Itkin wins Olympic bronze in foil

Way to go, Nick!

Both current and former Notre Dame fencers have made quite an impact on the 2024 Olympics in Paris. [autotag]Lee Kiefer[/autotag] won her second straight gold medal in the women’s individual foil, and [autotag]Eszter Muhari[/autotag] took bronze in the women’s individual epee for Hungary. Now, we can add [autotag]Nick Itkin[/autotag] to the medal count.

Itkin, who won a bronze medal with the U.S. for the team foil during the pandemic-delayed 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, has his first individual Olympic medal. He claimed the bronze with a 15-12 defeat of Japan’s Kazuki Iimura in the men’s individual foil. That made him the first American to medal in the event since Alexander Massialas won silver at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Cheung Ka Long of Hong Kong successfully defended his gold medal in this event, defeating 2016 gold medalist Daniele Garozzo of Italy. Meanwhile, [autotag]Gerek Meinhardt[/autotag], another former Irish fencer in the event and Kiefer’s husband, bowed out in the round of 16, 15-10, to Enzo Lefort of France.

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Notre Dame fencer Eszter Muhari wins Olympic bronze for Hungary

Congrats, Eszter!

Notre Dame fencing fans have plenty to cheer for during the 2024 Olympics. In fact, four of the 10 current or former Notre Dame athletes competing in Paris are fencers. But Irish fencers are representing more than one country, and that already has paid off.

[autotag]Eszter Muhari[/autotag] skipped her sophomore season with the Irish to train for Hungary’s Olympic team. On the first full day of competition, she earned a bronze medal in the individual epee with a 15-14 overtime victory over Nelli Differt of Estonia. She trailed, 12-10, during the third period before pulling off a come-from-behind victory in a match that lasted 19 minutes, 35 seconds.

Taking the gold in the event was Vivian Kong of Hong Kong with a victory over France’s Auriane Mallo, who defeated Muhari in the semifinals. Muhari’s medal was the first for Hungary in these Olympics, and it came in what has historically has been the country’s best Olympic sport by far.

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Follow Geoffrey on Twitter: @gfclark89