Competitive fencer Ishani Sood, grade 11, won the bronze medal last month at the USA Fencing Junior Olympics in Denver. She was one of 199 competitors in the Women’s Cadet Foil Fencing category. Sood had a busy and successful season leading up to last month’s event, qualifying for the U.S. Cadet team and representing the United States in four events in Europe. She placed fifth at the Cadet World Cup in Budapest, Hungary, and won bronze at the Cadet World Cup in Germany, which featured 240 participants from more than 20 countries.
At the USA Fencing 2022 Summer Nationals in July, junior Ishani Sood became the Division IA women’s gold medalist and qualified to represent the United States as part of the World Cadet Women’s Fencing team, which will be competing internationally in the coming months. A competitive fencer for eight years, Sood has medaled 10 times in her career and also co-founded the nonprofit Fun With Fencing, which brings fencing instructional programs to local Boys and Girls clubs.
Last week, rising sophomore Ethan Wang took fifth place out 184 competitors in the men’s division III foil competition at the USA Fencing National Championships and July Challenge in Minneapolis. A fencer since age 10, Wang also took bronze in Y14 men’s foil at the Silicon Valley Regional Junior Circuit/Regional Junior Circuit in April. This most recent performance was a significant one for Wang, who bounced back after struggling with a knee injury.
This week, national competitive fencer Ishani Sood, grade 10, is traveling to Paris to represent the United States at the cadet-level fencing World Cup. A competitive fencer for several years, Sood channeled her love of the sport into service last year, co-founding Fun With Fencing, a nonprofit that brings instructional programs to local Boys and Girls Clubs. Best of luck in Paris!