St. John's University Athletics
Fencing Captain Ben Bratton Prepares For World Championships
9/28/2006 12:00:00 AM | Fencing
Ben Bratton, captain of the St. John???s fencing team, will head to Torino, Italy, for the Fencing World Championship, beginning on Sept. 30, 2006. Bratton will compete both as an individual and as part of the United States National Team.
???This is the first time I will compete as a member of the national team, so I am very excited,??? said Bratton. ???This is a great opportunity for me to test my skills on the biggest stage in the world. Hopefully, all of my hard work will pay off.???
Only four fencers from each weapon, the epee, sabre and foil, will be representing their country internationally, making the honor even more prestigious for Bratton. He will be in familiar company as head coach Yury Gelman will be present during the competition as a coach for the U.S. Sabre team along with St. John???s alumni Keith Smart and Ivan Lee.
???I am very excited for Ben, especially because this is his first time competing at the World Championship,??? said Gelman. ???He has nothing to lose and I think he will do well.???
Bratton, who fences with the epee, will start competing on Oct. 1, though the individual sabre portion of the event starts on Sept. 30. Team competitions will start on Oct. 5. The event will be held at the Oval Lingotta, which is connected to the Olympic Village. Those who make a good showing at the World Championship will have a better chance of qualifying for the 2008 Olympics.
To track Bratton???s progress over the week-long event, be sure to check out www.RedStormsports.com as well as fie.ch, the International Fencing Federation???s website.