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Bettie Graham Wins Bronze at Veteran World Championships

Bettie Graham, age 70, earned the bronze medal at the 2011 Veteran World Championships in Porec, Croatia on September 29. Competing in the age 70 and above category, Bettie won four of her six bouts in the preliminary round losing only to a German and a British fencer (who finished silver and gold in the Championships). Ranked fourth out of the preliminary round, Bettie won her first direct elimination bout against another German fencer by a score of 10 to 7. She then lost her semi-final bout to the eventual gold medalist with a score of 7-10.

USA medalists at the 2011 Veteran World Championships, Porec, Croatia. From left: Ray Sexton, Josh Runyon and Bettie Graham (photo by Nicole Jomantas, USFA).

Bettie is the current US National Champion in both of her weapons, foil and epee. Bettie has been fencing competitively for 11 years and the 2011 Veteran World Championships was the ninth World Championships at which she has represented the United States. Bettie also won the gold medal in a national foil competition held in Detroit, Michigan, last March and earned silver medals in foil and epee at a national tournament in Cincinnati, Ohio, last October.

Bettie's 3rd Place World Championship Medal

US Fencing Coaches Association Presents Award to Maître Finkleman

On July 30, 2011, the US Fencing Coaches Association presented an Award of Merit to Maître Raymond Finkleman, coach at Chevy Chase Fencing Club. The award recognizes the contributions of Maître Finkleman to the coaching and teaching of fencing.

Maître Finkleman has been fencing for over 43 years. Since the 1970's he has been coaching at the Chevy Chase Fencing Club which meets at DC Department of Parks and Recreation's Chevy Chase Community Center in Washington, DC.

Maître Finkleman has won seven coach's medals awarded by the US Fencing Association to the coach of the US national champion. His students have competed in 30 World Championship and Olympic events. He has trained six other fencing coaches who are now coaching professionally. During his coaching career, he has introduced fencing to over 10,000 students in the Washington, DC area.

Maître Finkleman’s love of the sport of fencing and the hard work and discipline that is required to do well in the sport is instilled in his students. It is this achievement of which he is most proud. Students have commented that Maître Finkleman not only provided them a skill that they can continue to enjoy throughout their lives, but that he has taught them how to work hard to achieve their goals, to accept defeat honorably, and to continue to pursue their dreams while respecting others. This is the true vocation of a maître d’armes.

CCFC World Championships & Olympic Team Members

The fencers listed below have represented Chevy Chase Fencing Club at World Championships or Youth Olympics. CCFC fencers have competed in 30 events (each event is numbered) and placement in the event is listed if known (place/# of entries).

Greerson McMullen

1982 Buenos Aires, Argentina, Juniors¹, Junior Team²

James Kaull

2007 Belek, Turkey, Cadets³16/94

2008 Belfast, Ireland, Juniors⁴ 68/139, Junior Team⁵ 11/32

2010 Mer Morte, Jordan, Juniors⁶ 24/124, Junior Team⁷ 11/26

Katharine Holmes

2009 Belfast, Ireland Cadets⁸ 2/77

2010 Baku, Azerbaijan Cadets⁹ 5/80, Juniors¹⁰ 23/98, Junior Team¹¹ 2/20

2010 Singapore, Youth Olympics¹², bronze team medal

2011 Mer Morte, Jordan, Juniors¹³ 28/105, Junior Team¹⁴ 5/23

Bettie Graham

2000 Budapest, Hungary, Vet 50+ WF¹⁵ 19/21

2002 Tampa, Florida, USA, Vet 60+ WE¹⁶ 13/17, Vet 60+ WF¹⁷ 12/14

2003 Limoges, France, Vet 60+ WF¹⁸ 13/15, Vet 60+ WE¹⁹ 11/18

2004 Krems, Austria, Vet 60+ WE²⁰ 17/25, Vet 60+ WF²¹ 14/19

2005 Tampa, Florida, USA, Vet 60+ WE (alternate), Vet 60+ WF²²

2006 Bath, England, Vet 60+ WE²³ 11/27

2007 Sydney, Australia, Vet 60+ WE²⁴ 8/22, Vet 60+ WF²⁵ 17/21

2009 Moscow, Russia, Vet 60+ WE²⁶ 25/26

2011 Porec, Croatia, Vet 70+ WF²⁷ 8/15, Vet 70+ WE²⁸ 3T/13

Olimar Maisonet

2009 Senior Worlds²⁹ Ankara, Turkey 101/118

Mark Henry

2011 Porec, Croatia, Vet 70+ ME³⁰ 16/29

Two CCFC Fencers on Veteran World Championship Team

The US Veteran World Championship Team was announced at the 2011 Summer National Championships in Reno, Nevada, July 1-10. Two members of the Chevy Chase Fencing Club earned positions on the US team. Bettie Graham qualified for the Veteran-70+ Women’s Foil Team and the Veteran-70+ Women’s Epee Team. Mark Henry qualified for the Veteran-70+ Men’s Epee Team.

Bettie Graham, age 70, won the gold medal and is the National Champion in both of her weapons, foil and epee. Bettie has been fencing competitively for 11 years and the 2011 Veteran World Championships will be the ninth championships at which she has represented the United States. Bettie won the gold medal in the national foil competition held in Detroit, Michigan, last March and took the silver medals in foil and epee at a national tournament in Cincinnati, Ohio, last October.

Mark Henry, age 70, has been fencing for 8 years and won the 7^th place medal at the 2011 Summer National Championships. This result, in addition to his silver medal finish in Detroit and bronze medal won in Cincinnati, earned Mark his position on the US Veteran World Team. This will be Mark’s first Veteran World Championship.

The 2011 Veteran World Championships will be held on September 27 through October 2 in Porec, Croatia, on the Mediterranean coast (http://www.fencingveterans2011.com/en/).

Online Article Featuring Chevy Chase Fencer Seth Flanagan

Chevy Chase Fencer on British Cadet International Team

Katharine Holmes - Bronze Medal at Youth Olympic Games

Katharine Holmes Goes to Youth Olympic Games in Singapore

CCFC Fencers on National Points Lists

Chevy Chase Fencing Club Results at Capitol Clash SYC

Katharine Holmes in Sports Illustrated Magazine

Results at the 2009 Summer National Championships, Grapevine, Texas

Fencing Article by Emily Yoffe

Two Gold Medals Won by Chevy Chase Fencers

Katharine Holmes Wins Silver Medal in Fencing World Championships