Direct Elimination Podcast

Sabre Olympian Kaito Streets on Learning from Losses and Chasing Greatness | The Will to Win Ep. 4

Kaito Streets left Team USA to fence for Japan, where he has both missed and qualified for Olympic Games in the last 10 years. Through the ups, downs, wins and almosts of his career, Kaito's resilience speaks for itself. The Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts. In this episode, you'll discover: • Why Kaito switched from representing the US to Japan, and what it meant to him in pride, perception, and belonging between two cultures • What it actually feels like to stand on the Olympic strip: the shaking, the fear, the joy, and why Kaito says he'll never feel anything like it again • How Kaito nearly retired after Tokyo, nearly retired again after missing Paris, and what finally convinced him to chase LA 2028 • The 'win or learn' philosophy behind starting the Tokyo International Fencing Academy, and why Kaito says keeping elite knowledge to himself would be selfish Kaito Streets is an American-Japanese Olympian who competed for Japan at the Tokyo 2020 Games and is a founding coach of the Tokyo International Fencing Academy. He is one of the more recognizable faces growing fencing internationally through competition, content creation, and coaching. This podcast was produced in collaboration with the International Fencing Federation (FIE). 💬 Have you ever had to choose between two identities, in sport, work, or life? Drop your take in the comments. ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:15 - Comedy, Content Creation & Athlete Persona 00:06:09 - The Switch: Why He Left Team USA for Japan 00:10:02 - Adapting to Japanese Culture and Earning His Spot 00:11:54 - Tokyo Olympics: Pure Human Emotion on the Strip 00:16:47 - COVID, Family Absent & Nearly Retiring After Tokyo 00:18:35 - Missing Paris & Considering Retirement Again at 30 00:19:22 - Why He Chose to Come Back for LA 2028 00:20:16 - The Only Real Way to Fail 00:21:25 - The World Championship Bronze Medal Match 00:25:07 - Win or Learn: The Mindset That Keeps Him Going 00:27:10 - Starting the Tokyo International Fencing Academy 00:28:43 - Teaching as a Renewal of Passion 00:32:49 - Growing Fencing Into a Mainstream Sport 00:35:58 - Rapid Fire & Closing Thoughts 💬 BEST QUOTES "When I got to the Olympics, I've never felt emotion like that before. I was, nervous, scared, happy, like everything you could think of in one." [00:13:08] "I think you learn the most in your losses." [00:26:01] "The will to win is learned after a loss." [00:38:53] 🔗 CONNECT WITH KAITO 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaitostreets/?hl=en ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ ⁨@kaitocstreets⁩ CONNECT WITH TOKYO INTERNATIONAL FENCING ACADEMY 🌐: https://tifa-fencing.jp/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tokyointlfencingacademy/ 🔗 CONNECT WITH THE FIE 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fencing_fie/ 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fie_fencing ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJEy8aBnqDymMIcJCh72gMw 🌐: https://fie.org/ Thank you for listening! 🔗 Check out FencR 🌐: https://www.fencr.app/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fencr.app 🔗 Connect with Us 🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple: https://link.me/directelimination 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directelimination/ 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@directeliminationpodcast 📺 Subscribe for more episodes: youtube.com/@DirectElimination 🔗 Prieur USA 🌐: https://www.prieurusa.com/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prieur_usa/

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Olympic Bronze Medalist and World #1 Mohamed Elsayed: Trusting Yourself When It Counts Most | The Will to Win Ep. 3

How powerful is manifestation? In Paris 2024, Mohamed Elsayed won bronze, and then finally opened a video that he recorded on his phone in 2021. The Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts. In this episode, you'll discover: • How Mohamed Elsayed turned years of one-touch losses in quarterfinals into the exact skills that won him an Olympic medal, and why he says he didn't know those losses were building something the whole time. • The multi-year promise: why Mo recorded a message to himself as an anonymous spectator at Tokyo 2021, never re-watched it, and what happened when he finally opened it the day after Paris. • What "just be yourself" actually means at the Olympic level, Mo's take on full preparation followed by total self-trust, and why that's the opposite of laziness. • How to mentally move on from a devastating loss: Mo's framework for processing failure, detaching from results, and showing up ready two weeks later. Mohamed Elsayed is an Egyptian Olympic bronze medalist in épée fencing from the Paris 2024 Games, one of only two Egyptian Olympic fencing medalists, and a fencer who has built his career on mastering the one-touch moment under maximum pressure. ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00:00 - Introduction: Who Is Mohamed Elsayed 00:01:34 - The Art of the One-Touch Moment 00:03:32 - Trusting Yourself When It Counts Most 00:06:03 - There Is Always a Comeback 00:08:47 - The Video Promise: Tokyo 2021 to Paris 2024 00:11:53 - Goal Setting, Wish Lists, and Becoming a Legend 00:14:10 - How to Respond to Devastating Loss 00:17:09 - Learning to Move On 00:21:13 - Dealing With the Pressure of Expectations 00:25:44 - What 'Just Be Yourself' Actually Means 00:27:35 - Trusting Yourself When Everything Works Against You 00:29:57 - Flow State: What Freedom Feels Like on the Strip 00:32:41 - Living the Dream From the Inside Out 00:35:26 - Rapid Fire: Peace, Poker Face, and Who Mo Is Off the Strip 00:37:27 - Closing 💬 BEST QUOTES "I didn't know that every touch I lost was building up to a greater moment." [00:02:52] "I think it was just, a pure moment of me promising myself…I'm talking to my future self about me being there, and, I just have to wait." [00:10:03] "The will to win is yours." [00:37:32] 🔗 CONNECT WITH MO 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_supermooo/ ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@iamsupermooo 🔗 CONNECT WITH US 🎙️ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4G1LSu4ubtqTUH17nfFs0f 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directelimination/ 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@directeliminationpodcast ▶️ YouTube: youtube.com/@DirectElimination 🔗 CONNECT WITH THE FIE 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fencing_fie/ 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fie_fencing ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJEy8aBnqDymMIcJCh72gMw 🌐: https://fie.org/ Thank you for listening! 🔗 Check out FencR 🌐: https://www.fencr.app/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fencr.app 🔗 Connect with Us 🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple: https://link.me/directelimination 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directelimination/ 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@directeliminationpodcast 📺 Subscribe for more episodes: youtube.com/@DirectElimination 🔗 Prieur USA 🌐: https://www.prieurusa.com/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prieur_usa/

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Hong Kong Fencer Kaylin Hsieh on Winning Gold, Fear of Losing, and the Olympic Question | The Will to Win Ep. 2

Kaylin Hsieh won her first Grand Prix gold sick, alone, and with nothing to lose, and came to share some of the ups and downs of her professional athletic career. The Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts. In this episode, you'll discover: • How Kaylin used illness at the Doha Grand Prix to strip away pressure and fence with complete freedom, and why that mindset produced her best result • Why she deliberately documents wins and losses publicly, and the deeper reason elite athletes staying silent is a disservice to the next generation • What it actually feels like to abandon your entire fencing identity and rebuild from zero under a new coaching system, and how that process led to a breakthrough • How she answered the hardest question in elite Olympic sport: is it all worth it if there's no Olympic medal at the end? Kaylin Hsieh is a Hong Kong national team fencer, U17 World Champion, Grand Prix gold medalist, and NCAA champion who has represented Hong Kong for years on the international stage while navigating the pressure of elite competition Olympic qualification. She is one of the most transparent voices in fencing today. This podcast was produced in collaboration with the International Fencing Federation (FIE). ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00:00 - Introduction: Who Is Kaylin Hsieh? 00:01:23 - The Doha Grand Prix 00:03:41 - What Being Sick Taught Her About Acceptance 00:06:21 - How Experience Compounds and The Process Mindset 00:08:35 - What Would You Tell Your Younger Self? 00:11:03 - Transparency in Elite Sport 00:13:38 - Finding Joy as the Key to Winning 00:16:50 - Is It All Worth It If There's No Olympic Medal? 00:17:13 - The Moment That Changed Everything 00:18:37 - Coming Back to Hong Kong 00:22:16 - Grieving the Conventional Life She Didn't Live 00:24:36 - The Fear She's Never Talked About in an Interview 00:25:15 - Learning to Let Go of Her Old Self 00:28:56 - Rapid Fire 💬 BEST QUOTES "I knew that I may not be able to perform at my best, but I knew that I could overcome this." "I had to let go of who I was and to become someone that I haven't been before." "Even if I fail, I get to show others that it's okay to go for your dreams." "My biggest fear was just just losing. But like it's normal... if you don't lose, how would you win?" "The will to win comes within you." 🔗 CONNECT WITH KAYLIN 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaylinhsieh/ 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kaylinhsieh 🤝 LinkedIn: https://hk.linkedin.com/in/kaylinhsieh ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ ⁨@kaylinhsieh⁩ 🔗 CONNECT WITH US 🎙️ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4G1LSu4ubtqTUH17nfFs0f 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directelimination/ 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@directeliminationpodcast ▶️ YouTube: youtube.com/@DirectElimination 🔗 CONNECT WITH THE FIE 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fencing_fie/ 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fie_fencing ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJEy8aBnqDymMIcJCh72gMw 🌐: https://fie.org/ Thank you for listening! 🔗 Check out FencR 🌐: https://www.fencr.app/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fencr.app 🔗 Connect with Us 🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple: https://link.me/directelimination 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directelimination/ 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@directeliminationpodcast 📺 Subscribe for more episodes: youtube.com/@DirectElimination 🔗 Prieur USA 🌐: https://www.prieurusa.com/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prieur_usa/

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Pentathlon Olympian and World Champion turned NCAA Fencing Head Coach at Duke: Omar Elgeziry | Direct Elimination Ep. 35

Duke Fencing Head Coach Omar Elgeziry on why there's no luck in college fencing, and the meditation secret behind every Duke practice. The Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts. In this episode, you'll discover: • Why Omar believes college fencing structurally eliminates luck, and how the round-robin format changes everything an international fencer thinks they know • The guided visualization and meditation sessions Omar runs at the start and end of every Duke practice, and why he keeps doing it even when athletes fall asleep • Genuinely contrarian college recruiting advice: why Omar tells athletes to ignore big names and championships and choose the school that makes them grow as a person • How Stanford joining the ACC and the men's and women's championship split are reshaping the competitive landscape of NCAA fencing Omar Elgeziry is an Olympian and World Champion modern pentathlete, fencer, and current head fencing coach at Duke University. He is also one of the few coaches in the country who has led programs across three different NCAA regions. If you're a high school fencer or a fencing parent navigating the recruiting process, drop your biggest question below — Omar's answer at 00:09:48 might change how you're thinking about your search. ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:21 - Who Is Omar Elgeziry? 00:03:00 - From Olympic Pentathlete to College Fencing Coach 00:05:22 - Why College Fencing Has No Luck 00:06:23 - Growing Fencing in the NCAA 00:09:08 - What Makes Duke Fencing Different? 00:09:48 - Real College Recruiting Advice 00:13:02 - NCAA Changes: Stanford to ACC, Men's & Women's Split 00:15:14 - The Most Important Quality in a College Fencer 00:19:01 - Visualization & Meditation: Omar's Secret Coaching Weapon 00:24:48 - One-Light Answers 00:29:06 - Outro 💬 BEST QUOTES "I came to this country because I was following my guts. I just wanted to live the American dream." [00:03:04] "There is no there's no luck in college fencing." [00:05:24] "Go for the school that will make you grow. Don't just go for a school that's a big name, or that will win a championship, or it's just going to be easy for you to win. Just challenge yourself." [00:10:51] "If you see it, [and] you make it happen in your mind. It actually will happen in reality." [00:21:45] Theme Song Written and Performed by Colin Campbell 🔗 Connect with Colin 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/campbelltunes/?hl=en 🔗 Connect with Omar Elgeziry 🌐: https://www.linkedin.com/in/omar-elgeziry-oly-98a65b12b 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/omarelgeziry/ 🔗 Connect with Duke Fencing 🌐: https://goduke.com/sports/fencing 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dukefen/ Thank you for listening! 🔗 Check out FencR 🌐: https://www.fencr.app/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fencr.app 🔗 Connect with Us 🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple: https://link.me/directelimination 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directelimination/ 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@directeliminationpodcast 📺 Subscribe for more episodes: youtube.com/@DirectElimination 🔗 Prieur USA 🌐: https://www.prieurusa.com/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prieur_usa/

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Áron Szilágyi: Back-to-Back-to-Back Olympic Champion Who Says Losing at Paris Olympics Was Actually Liberating | The Will to Win Ep. 1

3× Individual Olympic champion Áron Szilágyi on the Achilles injury that changed everything and why losing at Paris felt like freedom. The Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts. In this episode, you'll discover: • What Szilágyi is looking forward to in his upcoming competitions and seasons • How his first career injury forced him to rebuild his identity around small wins like walking and footwork, not gold medals • What it felt like to finally lose at the Olympics, and why 'liberating' is the word he chose • The one sentence that defines his entire competitive philosophy: what the will to win actually means when the desire runs out Áron Szilágyi is the only sabre fencer in history to win three consecutive Olympic gold medals (London 2012, Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020). He is a three-time World Champion, a six-time European Champion, and also the recipient of the FIE Fair Play Award. This podcast was produced in collaboration with the International Fencing Federation (FIE). ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00:00 - Introduction 01:31 - First Career Injury: Achilles Surgery 04:03 - The Mental Side of Rehab 05:07 - Preparing for the Body You No Longer Know 07:50 - Mindset Going Into Worlds 13:00 - Paris 2024: Inside the One-Minute Break 15:32 - What Losing at the Olympics Actually Taught Him 17:00 - Processing Failure as a Team 22:25 - Which Olympic Gold Felt Most Impossible 24:18 - The Fair Play Award 29:00 - Rapid Fire 33:53 - Closing and Where to Follow Áron 💬 QUOTES "Every day, every morning I had to choose to do this. So I had to talk myself into going to the physio, doing the work and getting better." "I learned much more [from this loss] than from the Olympic titles I won. And that’s always true with failures, I guess." "After I accepted it, it was a liberating feeling that I don't have to be the person, you know, who wins the Olympic Games. No, I've been to an Olympics where I was beaten, and that's fine. That's good actually." "I had this kind of imposter syndrome after London that I felt like I shouldn't have won this because I'm not Olympic Champion material." "The will to win is to be able to do what's necessary." 🔗 CONNECT WITH ÁRON 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/szilagyi_aron/ 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aronszilagyi_official 🤝 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/szilagyi-aron/ 🔗 CONNECT WITH THE FIE 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fencing_fie/ 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fie_fencing ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJEy8aBnqDymMIcJCh72gMw 🌐: https://fie.org/ Thank you for listening! 🔗 Check out FencR 🌐: https://www.fencr.app/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fencr.app 🔗 Connect with Us 🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple: https://link.me/directelimination 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directelimination/ 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@directeliminationpodcast 📺 Subscribe for more episodes: youtube.com/@DirectElimination 🔗 Prieur USA 🌐: https://www.prieurusa.com/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prieur_usa/

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USA Fencing CEO Phil Andrews on Growing Fencing in America: NCAA Programs, Marketing Push & the Road to LA 2028 | Direct Elimination Ep. 34

USA Fencing's CEO, Phil Andrews, reveals influencer and K-pop deals, a sport-saving radio campaign & what the sport's growth strategy is as we approach the LA 2028 Olympic Games. This episode will surprise you. The Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts. In this episode, you'll discover: • How USA Fencing became the ninth most mentioned brand on US radio in December (the only sport ever to achieve it) and why that matters more than Paris 2024 medal counts for long-term growth • The full celebrity and influencer strategy targeting LA 2028: from the Gardiner Brothers and Dolph Lundgren to Jenson Button and a K-pop activation designed to open fencing to entirely new audiences • Why the NCAA pipeline is central to USA Fencing's future, including new programs at Trinity College, HBCU outreach, and how membership growth is directly funding more athletes — including para fencing for the first time • What Phil Andrews actually walked into when he became CEO in 2022, and how a British ice hockey player ended up leading one of America's most storied Olympic sports federations Phil Andrews has served as CEO of USA Fencing since 2022, previously leading USA Weightlifting. He is one of the most unconventional and candid executives in American Olympic sport. 💬 What would it take for YOU to bring a friend to try fencing? Drop your answer below — Phil's actually thinking about this. ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00:00 - Intro & Welcome to the New York Athletic Club 00:01:06 - US Fencing Foundation Gala 00:03:02 - Phil Andrews' Background: From London 2012 to USA Fencing CEO 00:05:10 - Stabilizing USA Fencing: Challenges Inherited in 2022 00:08:14 - USA Fencing's Mission to Grow & Popularize the Sport 00:09:08 - iHeartMedia Deal & Radio Campaign Impact 00:11:30 - Celebrity & Influencer Activations: Gardiner Brothers, Dolph Lundgren, Jenson Button 00:13:59 - Community Outreach 00:19:06 - Lowering the Barrier: How Fast Can Someone Try Fencing? 00:20:38 - Paris 2024 Results vs. iHeartMedia Campaign Reach 00:22:44 - NCAA Pipeline, HBCU Outreach & Trinity College Announcement 00:24:19 - Athlete Funding Growth Across Weapons & Para Fencing 00:25:56 - US Fencing's Rising International Competitive Results 00:30:15 - One Light Answers 00:35:05 - Closing Remarks 💬 BEST QUOTES "Fencing is not well enough respected in the circles that it should be. I think that's something that we're hoping to change between now. I think we've started to change it, and I think it's something we're hoping to change between now and 2028." "If 4 or 5 people from that [collaboration] go 'that looks cool, I want to go and try some fencing.' That is success." "[Fencing was] the ninth most mentioned brand on the US radio during December of last year, the only sport ever to have achieved that." "I like being the dumbest human in the room. Great news in fencing is I'm usually dumbest person in the room." Theme Song Written and Performed by Colin Campbell 🔗 Connect with Colin 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/campbelltunes/?hl=en 🔗 Connect with Phil Andrews 🌐: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philandrews2 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a.phil/?hl=en 🔗 Connect with USA Fencing 🌐: https://www.usafencing.org/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/usafencing/ Thank you for listening! 🔗 Check out FencR 🌐: https://www.fencr.app/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fencr.app 🔗 Connect with Us 🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple: https://link.me/directelimination 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directelimination/ 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@directeliminationpodcast 📺 Subscribe for more episodes: youtube.com/@DirectElimination 🔗 Prieur USA 🌐: https://www.prieurusa.com/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prieur_usa/

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Jerry Simmons on How to Raise a World Champion Fencer | Direct Elimination: Special Father's Day Edition

What does it actually take to raise a World Champion fencer? Jerry Simmons reveals the parenting philosophy no one talks about. The Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts. In this episode, you'll discover: • Why Jerry and his wife never pressured their children about results, rankings, or college scholarships — and how that restraint became the foundation of their success • The hotel room meditation lesson in France that Jerry taught a 15-year-old Ari the week of competition, and what happened to his fencing immediately after • The exact moment Jerry realized fencing was no longer a hobby — and why he went all-in financially and logistically without looking back • What sleep science actually says about athlete recovery, reaction time, and how to manage circadian rhythm during international travel Jerry Simmons is the father of 2 former NCAA Division 1 Fencers, Camille Simmons (Episode 11) and our Co-Host Ari Simmons (Cadet World Champion, 4x NCAA All-American, USA World Team Member and more), and a physician whose background in sleep science gives him a uniquely grounded perspective on youth athletic development. He joins the show to offer an honest, experience-tested look at what elite youth sport support actually demands — and costs — from a family. 💬 What's the hardest part of being a fencing parent? Drop your answer below — we read every comment. ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00:00 - Intro 00:02:03 - How Ari Got Into Fencing: The Origin Story 00:05:18 - Jerry's Six Months as a Fencer 00:08:17 - The All-In Moment: Summer Nationals in Reno 00:12:35 - First Tournament Travel and Early Memories 00:23:28 - Parenting Philosophy: Never Pushing for Results 00:30:37 - Supporting Athletes Through Failure 00:35:20 - Meditation in France: A Life-Changing Hotel Room Lesson 00:47:35 - Watching Your Child Become World Champion 00:54:38 - Advice for Fencing Parents Today 00:58:47 - Sleep Science: How Much Does Sleep Actually Matter for Athletes? 01:07:12 - Sleep Maxing Trends: Mouth Tape and More 01:09:03 - One Light Answers 💬 BEST QUOTES "You've got to lose to be good. You know, that's part of the process." "I think the most important time for a parent is probably how you deal with the failures." "When you look back, I mean, the money comes and goes. You're not going to remember, but it's these opportunities that really transform someone individually." "You build on your opportunities and on your successes. And if you don't take these early steps, how are you ever going to get to the later ones? You don't just all of a sudden arrive. You have to build up that momentum." "We didn't look at fencing as, oh, this is a ticket to get you into a college. You were fencing because you wanted a fence. And we recognize how it's good to build character." Theme Song Written and Performed by Colin Campbell 🔗 Connect with Colin 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/campbelltunes/?hl=en 🔗 Connect with Jerry Simmons 🌐: https://www.csma.clinic/ 📺: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoJ63AFmFyA 📺: youtube.com/@jerrysimmons1727 Thank you for listening! 🔗 Check out FencR 🌐: https://www.fencr.app/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fencr.app 🔗 Connect with Us 🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple: https://link.me/directelimination 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directelimination/ 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@directeliminationpodcast 📺 Subscribe for more episodes: youtube.com/@DirectElimination 🔗 Prieur USA 🌐: https://www.prieurusa.com/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prieur_usa/

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The Fencer Who Wrote Our Theme Song: Colin Campbell | Direct Elimination Ep. 33

Colin Campbell wrote the Direct Elimination theme song on sticky notes during construction breaks — and he's a Notre Dame fencing champion. The Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts. In this episode, you'll discover: • How Colin wrote, performed, and produced the Direct Elimination theme song — including the bossa nova chord progression, fencing-inspired lyrics, and his stacked harmony technique • The concrete parallels between competitive fencing and the arts: adaptability, attack planning, committing fully, and performing under pressure • Colin's journey from age-10 fencer in Washington D.C. through a Senior World Cup appearance, to being on Notre Dame NCAA and ACC championship winning teams, and into Juilliard and professional performance • How his short film 'The Sharp Way Out,' shot at a former Staten Island correctional facility, and his theatrical adaptations are building toward a serious acting and filmmaking career Colin Campbell is a multi-instrumentalist, actor, and filmmaker currently studying at Juilliard. He's also a decorated competitive fencer who won ACC and NCAA championships with Notre Dame — and the person behind the theme song you've been hearing at the top of every episode. Here's our question for you: What's a skill from your sport that showed up somewhere completely unexpected in your creative or professional life? Drop it in the comments. ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00:00 - Intro 00:00:36 - Welcoming Colin Campbell 00:03:11 - The Story Behind the Direct Elimination Theme Song 00:04:15 - Colin's Musical Origins 00:09:21 - Fencing Roots: Starting at Age 10 in Washington D.C. 00:19:36 - Going All-In on the Arts at Notre Dame 00:21:25 - Early Filmmaking with Teammates 00:27:46 - Colin's Competitive Fencing Career 00:30:55 - Coaching at Sheridan Fencing Academy 00:34:04 - How Fencing Parallels Music, Acting, and Artistic Discipline 00:47:37 - Flow State, Authenticity, and Performing Under Pressure 00:53:26 - The Sharp Way Out 01:03:55 - Upcoming Projects and Continuing to Weave Fencing Into Art 01:06:47 - One Light Answers 01:14:07 - Closing Reflections and Live Performance of the Theme Song 💬 BEST QUOTES "I will always know from fencing the ability to just adapt to things being thrown at you and taking accountability for your mistake in just a split second." "Fencing taught me how to understand the way that I moved, my body and my vessel and focusing on carrying through my plan.. and having an attack plan." "When you're an adult all the fun may seem like it's behind you. No it's not. You can find it, and you can create it with people that are your pals." "I wrote these lyrics down because I wanted to implement fencing, and I knew that I could do that because I know the sport" 🔗 CONNECT WITH COLIN 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/campbelltunes/?hl=en Thank you for listening! 🔗 Check out FencR 🌐: https://www.fencr.app/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fencr.app 🔗 Connect with Us 🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple: https://link.me/directelimination 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directelimination/ 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@directeliminationpodcast 📺 Subscribe for more episodes: youtube.com/@DirectElimination 🔗 Prieur USA 🌐: https://www.prieurusa.com/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prieur_usa/

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Our Wildest Fencing Season Yet — End of Season Recap

The Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts. Ari beat Olympic and world champion Masaru Yamada at the Medellín Fencing World Cup, Stephen and the New York Athletic Club won the Senior National Team Championship, and somehow we still squeezed in three weddings, a sponsor visit, a full-reset hike in the mountains above Medellín, and a tarmac wait that almost cost us a flight to Switzerland. This is the end of the 2025–2026 fencing season — every win, every loss, and what it taught us heading into LA 2028. CHAPTERS 00:00 Cold open 00:22 Catching up after a wild stretch of fencing 02:43 Senior Nationals: Nathaniel Wimmer makes history 03:36 Stephen + NYAC win the Division I team championship 04:32 Ari's mental lapse! 07:12 Ari's 9th place finish — and the full-body cramps 08:13 Touchdown in Medellín, Colombia 11:24 The Easy Path Crew is born (USA teammates drawn against each other) 16:16 Day off: a mountain excursion above Medellín with no cell service 21:42 Day 2 in Medellín — Ari's career-best run begins 23:14 Drawing Masaru Yamada — Olympic medalist, world champion silver 27:53 The fall heard around the venue 29:33 Sudden death: beating a world champion 32:14 Congrad Kongstad brings reality back 34:30 Between Colombia and Bern: weddings, work, and prep 37:58 Ari ranked 5th — a sudden Bern qualification 42:00 Four hours on the tarmac 43:23 Bern Day 1: Easy Path Crew, take two 50:53 Processing a loss the same way you'd process a win 52:34 Stephen finds the "Jake Jets" 56:17 Working a full-time job from a Swiss hotel until 11 PM 58:34 Day 2: rematching Akira Komata 1:03:36 Team event: the Kazakhstan comeback 1:11:00 Shout-outs: Alexandre Pittet & Anton "Soup" Piskovatskov 1:18:30 LA 2028 is officially real 1:22:24 Thank-yous and sign-off Theme song written and performed by Colin Campbell 🔗 CONNECT WITH COLIN 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/campbelltunes/?hl=en Thank you for listening! 🔗 Check out FencR 🌐: https://www.fencr.app/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fencr.app 🔗 Connect with Us 🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple: https://link.me/directelimination 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directelimination/ 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@directeliminationpodcast 📺 Subscribe for more episodes: youtube.com/@DirectElimination 🔗 Prieur USA 🌐: https://www.prieurusa.com/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prieur_usa/

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NCAA Fencing Champion & Paris Olympian Elizabeth Tartakovsky on Women's Saber Fencing, Harvard & Finding Joy Again | Direct Elimination Ep. 32

Paris Olympian Elizabeth Tartakovsky opens up about women's saber fencing, chasing the Olympics, and what comes after the dream. The Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts. In this episode, you'll discover: • How Elizabeth Tartakovsky went from getting kicked out of ballet to becoming a Paris Olympian in women's saber fencing • The mental game of defending your best-ever season when Olympic qualification is on the line • What legendary coach Yury Gelman taught her that had nothing to do with fencing technique • Why elite fencers quit after college — and what the sport loses when they do Elizabeth Tartakovsky is a Paris 2024 Olympian, two-time World Cup bronze medalist, Pan American champion, and NCAA individual champion who fenced for Harvard University under coach Yury Gelman, one of the most respected names in saber fencing. What's your biggest mental challenge in fencing — the competition itself, the training grind, or staying motivated after a big result? Drop it in the comments below. ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00:00 Intro 00:00:26 Introduction & Guest Credentials 00:02:02 Origin Story: How Liz Found Fencing 00:05:21 The 'All In' Moment: Going Competitive 00:08:27 Peaks and Valleys: Navigating Plateaus 00:12:33 The Paris Olympic Journey 00:14:42 Career Highlights & Favorite Memories 00:18:24 Life After Paris: Taking a Break & Coming Back 00:23:32 The Dropout Problem: Fencing After College 00:27:25 Coaching Legend Yury Gelman: Behind the Curtain 00:33:51 Harvard Fencing & the Power of Team 00:37:01 New Jersey State Champion & Fencing's Small World 00:40:46 Upcoming Clinic with Maya Chamberlain & Nora Burke 00:43:29 One Light Answers: Rapid Fire Round 00:45:40 Flunge Tips, Tennis & Closing Fun 00:51:54 Closing Remarks & Where to Find Liz 💬 BEST QUOTES "I loved being unique and kind of telling my friends, you know what I did?" "I think I learned just from a few painful losses. It was it was kind of a turning point early on that, like, okay, this is a serious thing. If I want to continue, I actually have to put in the work, and want it for myself." "The year before Paris was my best season ever. I surpassed every goal. I didn't know I'd ever be ranked in the top 16 in the world." "It's a game at the end of the day. And I think this is the most amount of kind of play I've had in the sport in a long time." Theme song written and performed by Colin Campbell 🔗 CONNECT WITH COLIN 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/campbelltunes/?hl=en Thank you for listening! 🔗 Check out FencR 🌐: https://www.fencr.app/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fencr.app 🔗 Connect with Us 🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple: https://link.me/directelimination 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directelimination/ 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@directeliminationpodcast 📺 Subscribe for more episodes: youtube.com/@DirectElimination 🔗 Prieur USA 🌐: https://www.prieurusa.com/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prieur_usa/

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"I Will Go Through Fire for My Students" - Olympic Coach Igor Gantsevich on Coaching, Immigration & Dynamo Fencing Club | Direct Elimination Ep. 31

Igor Gantsevich took Dynamo Fencing Club and built it into 500+ members after injuries ended his career. His family is the immigrant story driving Canadian fencing forward. The Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts. In this episode, you'll discover: • How Igor pivoted from a career-ending wrist injury to building one of North America's largest fencing clubs — with 500+ members, 30 full-time staff, three Vancouver locations, and a new USA location coming soon • The father-son coaching dynamic that shaped Igor's entire philosophy, and why he treats every student like his own child • The Nick Zhang story: the Junior Worlds moment where Igor's sideline emotion may have cost his athlete a bout — and what he said to him afterward • Why Igor believes complacency is a disease, and how that mindset has driven Dynamo's growth, Team Canada's ambitions, and his refusal to ever retire Igor Gantsevich is the President of Dynamo Fencing Club and the High Performance Director of Fencing Canada — a former national team athlete whose competitive career was cut short by injury, who then channeled that drive into building one of the most respected fencing programs in the world. What's the moment — in sport, coaching, or life — where someone told you that you couldn't do it, and you proved them wrong? Tell us in the comments. ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00:00 Intro 00:03:27 Growing Up: Tennis Dreams and the Accidental Fencer 00:06:19 Rising Through the Ranks: Junior Worlds and the Canadian National Team 00:08:21 Career-Ending Injuries and the Pivot to Coaching 00:12:59 Starting from Scratch: Schools, Outreach, and Early Club Days 00:15:47 The Academy: Fencing as a PE Credit in West Vancouver Schools 00:19:28 Building Dynamo: Size, Staff, and the Austin Expansion 00:26:25 Immigration, Passion, and Coaching Like a Father 00:31:11 The Nick Zhang Story: When Emotion Costs Your Athlete a Bout 00:36:38 Business Lessons: Patience, Belief, Honesty, and Community 00:44:31 The Origin of the Name 'Dynamo' 00:49:26 Goals as a Coach: Olympic Medals, Hunger, and Never Retiring 01:00:03 The Global Fencing Landscape: Asia Rising and North America's Moment 01:05:43 Retaining Athletes Post-College and the Future of Professional Fencing 01:12:15 Rapid Fire Questions and Closing Thoughts 💬 BEST QUOTES "One word: immigration. Very simple. We're survivors. We fought for everything that we have" "I will go through fire for my students. And now that I'm high performance director of Team Canada, I'll go through fire for my country." 🔗 Connect with Igor 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/igor_gantsevich/ Connect with Dynamo Fencing Club 🔗 Connect with Colin 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dynamofencing/ 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dynamofencing 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaUEXzPBdw7nsg8VhWGb6bQ Theme song written and performed by Colin Campbell 🔗 Connect with Colin 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/campbelltunes/?hl=en Thank you for listening! 🔗 Check out FencR 🌐: https://www.fencr.app/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fencr.app 🔗 Connect with Us 🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple: https://link.me/directelimination 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directelimination/ 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@directeliminationpodcast 📺 Subscribe for more episodes: youtube.com/@DirectElimination 🔗 Prieur USA 🌐: https://www.prieurusa.com/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prieur_usa/

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3x Olympian Kat Holmes Used Game Theory to Win a World Championship Gold | Direct Elimination Ep. 30

3-time Olympian & World Champion Kat Holmes used game theory to win. She qualified for the Olympics while surviving medical school on zero sleep. This is an elite competitor. The Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts. In this episode, you'll discover: • How Kat used her Princeton thesis on Nash equilibrium to develop an overtime fencing strategy that helped anchor Team USA to the 2018 World Championship title • What it actually looked like to train for the Olympics while completing medical school — the sleep deprivation, the mental health struggles, and how she got through it • The shocking moment Kat was asked to testify at a legal hearing for the Alan Hadzic safe sport case the night before her Olympic debut at Tokyo • How Kat's biomechanics research on fencing lunges and injury patterns is shaping the future of sports medicine for fencers Kat Holmes is a three-time Olympian (Rio, Tokyo, Paris), 2018 World Championship anchor for Team USA's women's épée squad, four-time NCAA All-American at Princeton, and a practicing medical professional whose scientific research is now focused on the sport she's spent her life mastering. ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00:00 Introduction 00:04:06 A Nine-Year-Old Who Wanted to Sword Fight 00:06:54 The Distinctive Style 00:09:19 Fencing, Princeton, and the Road to the Olympics 00:13:04 Paris: The Final Hurrah 00:19:34 Tokyo Olympics 00:25:05 Medical School, Mental Health, and Burnout 00:27:54 Leveling Up as a Team 00:29:44 Becoming the Best Anchor in the World 00:32:31 Kat's Winning Thesis 00:35:32 Winning Strategy, Commitment, and Tactical Discipline 00:41:43 Performance Optimization 00:44:14 Biomechanics Research 00:50:03 One Light Answers 00:54:33 Closing Thoughts 💬 BEST QUOTES "I will say that medical school and qualifying for the Olympics was like the hardest. I can't honestly imagine anything harder. I didn't sleep for two years." "I never want to have to wonder, like, what if? What if I had worked harder? What if I had done this? I really wanted to always leave it on the table." "I think at one point I probably was the best anchor in the world for like a little minute." "I don't have an Olympic medal. Do I want one? Yes. Would I like to be Olympic champion? Obviously. But I think, you know, the body of my career more speaks to the heart and soul that I put into it." 🔗 Connect with Kat 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/worldfencingleague Theme song written and performed by Colin Campbell 🔗 Connect with Colin 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/campbelltunes/?hl=en Thank you for listening! 🔗 Check out FencR 🌐: https://www.fencr.app/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fencr.app 🔗 Connect with Us 🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple: https://link.me/directelimination 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directelimination/ 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@directeliminationpodcast 📺 Subscribe for more episodes: youtube.com/@DirectElimination 🔗 Prieur USA 🌐: https://www.prieurusa.com/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prieur_usa/

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World Fencing League Debut: What Happens Next?

World Fencing League finally debuted with the most eyes on fencing since Paris. We break down every match, the $10K prizes, and why the tech disappointed. The Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts. In this episode, you'll discover: • Why the WFL debut may be the biggest moment for fencing since the Paris Olympics and what it still needs to fix to become a real league • How $10,000 per match compares to winning an entire World Championship, and what that prize structure means for athlete motivation • A full match-by-match breakdown including Maia Chamberlain's MVP performance, Lee Kiefer's opening bout, and Ryan Choi vs. Miles Chamley-Watson closing the night • Why Dentsu's much-hyped blade-tracking and 3D replay technology fell flat in live execution, and what the WFL must do differently next time Direct Elimination is your home for honest, knowledgeable fencing coverage that doesn't talk down to the sport or the fans. Whether you've been fencing for twenty years or you just found out epee exists, this is the show for you. The World Fencing League just ran its first-ever event, and we give you the complete recap. We celebrate what the WFL got right, call out what it got wrong, and lay out what needs to happen for this league to actually build the fencing audience it's promising. ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00:12 Intro 00:02:30 World Fencing League Debut... First Impressions 00:06:29 Cash Prizes: A Game Changer for Fencing 00:09:42 New Rule Sets, Tech, and Fencing's Future 00:12:53 Match 1 Recap 00:18:46 Match 2 Recap 00:21:57 Matches 3 & 4 00:27:47 Match 5 Recap 00:29:55 Match 6 & Closing Ceremony 00:34:27 What Could Have Gone Better 00:38:44 Team Format, Gambling Rollout & Marketing Misses 00:43:59 Commentary Critique 00:47:17 Final Thoughts 💬 BEST QUOTES "if you don't have a crazy chat room on a live stream, then you're not doing it right." "for world championships, if you win the whole tournament you get $40,000 as of last year. but that's a whole tournament. here you fence one equal opponent. And when you're getting $10,000 for one match. Yeah. Those stakes are way crazier." "I think the real winner of the World Fencing League was Maia Chamberlain. Man. She pulled up. She balled out. She gets fighter of the night." World Fencing League Website: https://worldfencingleague.org/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/worldfencingleague Theme song written and performed by Colin Campbell 🔗 Connect with Colin 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/campbelltunes/?hl=en Thank you for listening! 🔗 Check out FencR 🌐: https://www.fencr.app/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fencr.app 🔗 Connect with Us 🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple: https://link.me/directelimination 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directelimination/ 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@directeliminationpodcast 📺 Subscribe for more episodes: youtube.com/@DirectElimination 🔗 Prieur USA 🌐: https://www.prieurusa.com/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prieur_usa/

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World Fencing League: Publicity Stunt or Fencing's Future?

World Fencing League debuts, but is it fencing's future or just hype? We break down Miles Chambley-Watson, blade tracking tech & bold predictions. The Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts. In this episode, you'll discover: - Why Miles Chamley-Watson is both the perfect and most controversial choice as the face of the World Fencing League, and what his various sponsorships says about fencing's mainstream potential. - How Dentsu's blade tracking technology works, what it means for spectators trying to understand the sport of fencing, and why it could have implications far beyond fencing - Why Lee Kiefer, arguably the greatest U.S. fencer of all time, has received almost zero marketing ahead of this debut, and what that says about the league's storytelling woes - Full match-by-match predictions for Team Blade vs Team Shield across all six bouts, plus an honest verdict on whether the World Fencing League can actually move the needle for the sport This episode covers the World Fencing League's debut event from every angle: the format, the athletes, the tech, the missed opportunities, and the genuine hope that this could be a transformative moment for professional fencing. ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00:00 Intro 00:00:50 Miles-Chamley Watson 00:07:07 Early Impressions 00:08:24 Breaking Down the ormat 00:10:32 Dentsu Explained 00:11:33 Good or Bad Strategy? 00:15:05 Marketing Failures 00:23:05 Scheduling 00:26:04 Dragging Fencing Into the Future 00:30:35 Match Predictions 00:33:52 Building Legitimacy 00:37:04 Final Verdict 💬 BEST QUOTES "I grew up absolutely idolizing this guy [Miles]. He is one of, if not the most recognizable fencer in the world, really trailblazing in terms of sponsorships." "Lee Kiefer is arguably on the Mount Rushmore for women's foil all time. She's an incredibly. Rushmore. Incredibly accomplished athlete, incredible representative of the sport, the best U.S. fencer of all time, full stop. And there's been barely any marketing about her." "This is one of the really exciting things about this event. It's an attempt to drag fencing into the future. The FIE has had many opportunities and has continued to fall short on them." "How cool is it that fencing is going to be live on streaming platforms everywhere, outside of the Olympics? And it's not going to be a blurry YouTube feed that USA fencing is putting out." World Fencing League Website: https://worldfencingleague.org/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/worldfencingleague Theme song written and performed by Colin Campbell 🔗 Connect with Colin 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/campbelltunes/?hl=en Thank you for listening! 🔗 Check out FencR 🌐: https://www.fencr.app/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fencr.app 🔗 Connect with Us 🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple: https://link.me/directelimination 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directelimination/ 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@directeliminationpodcast 📺 Subscribe for more episodes: youtube.com/@DirectElimination 🔗 Prieur USA 🌐: https://www.prieurusa.com/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prieur_usa/

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Mohamed El-Sayed: The Story of Super Mo and His Rise to World Fencing Dominance | Direct Elimination Ep. 29

Mohamed El-Sayed has emerged from young underdog to the #1 Ranked Men's Epee Fencer in the World. He explains the "One Man Job" mindset that he credits this success to. The Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts. In this episode, you'll discover: • How Mohamed El-Sayed cleared his furniture, trained alone for 8–9 months during COVID, and emerged as Egypt's national number one — the turning point that launched everything • Why Mohamed says he's genuinely in love with every part of the process — visa struggles, solo travel, and all — and how that mindset keeps him performing at the top • The psychology behind the "Super Mo" alter ego, where it came from, and why having a competition identity changed everything for him mentally Mohamed El-Sayed is a Paris 2024 Olympic bronze medalist and current World #1 in men's epee fencing, all at the young age of 23 and a promising future ahead of him. What part of Mohamed's story hit hardest for you — the COVID training grind, the solo travel with no support, or the Super Mo mindset? Drop it in the comments below. ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00:00 Introduction & Mohamed's Athletic Background 00:09:57 Covid Lockdown: The Career Turning Point 00:15:34 Dad as Coach: Family Dynamics & the El-Sayed Fencing Dynasty 00:26:31 Moving to NYC Alone & Building the One Man Formula 00:43:48 The Visa Struggle Nobody Talks About 00:52:43 Tokyo Olympics: Losing and Knowing It's Only a Matter of Time 01:01:07 Balance, Faith, and Finding Your Own Formula 01:17:44 The Origin of Super Mo 💬 BEST QUOTES "I just didn't want to go, oh, like I'm an Olympian, you know, at 18 years old. No. I wanted to actually actually do something." "I have the plan. I do the work. And when I went to the Olympic Games, you know, it all pays off." "I know my worth. I know it might take time. Three years, four years, but I know I'll be there, you know? So I'm just putting in the work, work, work." "I'm in love with the process. I'm really, really enjoying what's happening. The training, my competitions, my visa process, my travels. I'm enjoying it. I really live in the present and I'm enjoying it. I'm thankful." Theme song written and performed by Colin Campbell 🔗 Connect with Colin 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/campbelltunes/?hl=en 🔗 Connect with Mo 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_supermooo/ 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@iamsupermooo Thank you for listening! 🔗 Check out FencR 🌐: https://www.fencr.app/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fencr.app 🔗 Connect with Us 🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple: https://link.me/directelimination 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directelimination/ 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@directeliminationpodcast 📺 Subscribe for more episodes: youtube.com/@DirectElimination 🔗 Prieur USA 🌐: https://www.prieurusa.com/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prieur_usa/

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Jackie Dubrovich: Olympic Gold, Then What? Life After Paris 2024 | Direct Elimination Ep. 28

Jackie Dubrovich won Olympic gold with USA fencing in Paris 2024 — then walked away. What happens when the dream is done? The Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts. In this episode, you'll discover: • How Jackie balanced a full-time corporate 9-to-5 with elite Olympic training — and why she says she couldn't physically do it again at 31 • What it's really like to be coached by your husband, share an Olympic gold medal moment with him, and still come home to the same person that night • The paralyzing fear Jackie felt at her final individual Olympic event and how she willed herself through it on pure determination • What identity after sport actually feels like — the aimlessness, the adrenaline gap, and the unglamorous realities of building Polaris Fencing Center from the ground up Jackie Dubrovich is a two-time Olympian and Olympic gold medalist with the US Women's Foil Team at Paris 2024, one of the most decorated American fencers of her generation. Since retiring, she has channeled her competitive drive into opening Polaris Fencing Center in New Jersey, where she now coaches the next generation of fencers. What's the hardest part of life after competing at the highest level — losing the sport itself, or losing the person you were inside it? Tell us in the comments. ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:20 Growing Up in New Jersey 00:08:28 The Grind 00:11:18 Husband & Coach Dynamic 00:20:53 The Pressure of a Final Olympics 00:25:26 Opening Polaris Fencing Center 00:35:37 What She Misses Most 00:37:57 Life After Sport 00:43:10 Lessons from the Podcast 00:45:12 One Light Answers 00:50:02 Closing Thoughts & Shoutout to Polaris Fencing Center 💬 BEST QUOTES "My whole life was work like a 9 to 5 and then train in the evenings, compete on the weekends, train on the weekends that I'm not competing." "It was it was a really beautiful, meaningful moment. And then to be able to hug him afterwards." "I was just willing myself to the finish line. I knew that this was it, I just had nothing else to give." "There is no other way to kind of replicate in my day to day life, the adrenaline that fencing gave me." Theme song written and performed by Colin Campbell 🔗 Connect with Colin 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/campbelltunes/?hl=en 🔗 Connect with Jackie 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jackiedubrovich/ 🤺Polaris Fencing Center: https://www.polarisfencing.com/ Thank you for listening! 🔗 Check out FencR 🌐: https://www.fencr.app/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fencr.app 🔗 Connect with Us 🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple: https://link.me/directelimination 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directelimination/ 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@directeliminationpodcast 📺 Subscribe for more episodes: youtube.com/@DirectElimination 🔗 Prieur USA 🌐: https://www.prieurusa.com/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prieur_usa/

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We Competed at the Astana Epee World Cup — Here's How it Went | Strategy, Upsets & Team USA Epee Rising

We competed at the Astana Epee World Cup in Kazakhstan — and Team USA beat Olympic champion Hungary. Full recap inside. The Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts. In this episode, you'll discover: • What it's actually like to compete at an international epee World Cup in Kazakhstan — the culture, the food, and the competition floor • How Team USA Men's Epee finished sixth and pulled off a landmark overtime win over Olympic champion Hungary, signaling real program growth on the world stage • A deep tactical breakdown of ego vs. simplicity in fencing strategy — and why sticking to the simplest path to victory is harder than it sounds • How epee is evolving globally, becoming faster and more physical, and what that means for competitors trying to keep up Ari and Stephen are active competitors on the international fencing circuit who combine firsthand competitive experience with honest, unfiltered analysis — the kind of breakdown you won't find anywhere else in the fencing content space. Did you think Team USA had a legitimate shot at beating Hungary going into that match — or does a win like that still surprise you? ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00:00 Intro: Back From Kazakhstan & Why We Missed Last Episode 00:03:51 Vlogging the World Cup 00:07:02 Pool Round Breakdown 00:19:31 Between Rounds: Kazakhstan Venue, Energy, and Team USA Vibe 00:26:49 Fencing Strategy Deep Dive: Defensive Play, Ego, and Winning Formulas 00:41:47 Kazakh Food, Horse Meat, and Smuggling Salami Home 00:45:03 Individual Event Shoutouts 00:49:25 Team Event Recap: USA Beats Olympic Champions Hungary in Overtime 00:53:29 USA Women's Epee Team Dominance 00:59:22 Fencing Content and Upcoming Episodes 💬 BEST QUOTES "I hadn't felt this type of happiness to compete in such a long time." "At the competitions, you have to be the Rubik's Cube, and you also have to be the impenetrable wall. You have to be all these things." "This was the first time that I think the teams around the world looked at us and saw that we might be improving, and it was really, really awesome to see as an athlete, as a teammate and as someone who's, you know, really supporting this program in our in our growing stages." Theme song written and performed by Colin Campbell 🔗 Connect with Colin 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/campbelltunes/?hl=en Thank you for listening! 🔗 Check out FencR 🌐: https://www.fencr.app/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fencr.app 🔗 Connect with Us 🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple: https://link.me/directelimination 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directelimination/ 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@directeliminationpodcast 📺 Subscribe for more episodes: youtube.com/@DirectElimination 🔗 Prieur USA 🌐: https://www.prieurusa.com/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prieur_usa/

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Olympic Fencer Soren Thompson: Going From "Career-Ending" Injury to Self-Coaching Success | Direct Elimination Ep. 27

Olympic fencer Soren Thompson tore his hamstring so badly he could barely walk—then self-coached his way back to the 2012 Games. His unconventional philosophy changed how he approached elite performance. The Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts. In this episode, you'll discover: • How Soren became the first American to reach Olympic top 8 in men's epee since 1956—despite growing up in San Diego with limited resources • The complete hamstring rupture that was initially misdiagnosed and nearly ended his career, requiring years of daily maintenance • His radical self-coaching experiment: developing tactical hypotheses, challenging fencing dogma, and rethinking the sport from first principles while working full-time • The philosophy of athlete ownership: why elite performers must become their own coaches and think independently rather than blindly following instructions • Team fencing mastery: understanding your specific role in each encounter, passing scores strategically, and prioritizing collective discipline over individual glory Soren Thompson competed in the 2004 and 2012 Olympics in men's epee, becoming one of the most decorated American epeeists in history. His journey from San Diego outsider to two-time Olympian represents an unconventional path built on independent thinking, relentless experimentation, and mental resilience. ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00:00 Intro 00:01:51 San Diego Beginnings: The Unlikely Fencer 00:29:17 First Olympics 2004: Making History 00:46:00 Career-Ending Injury and Dark Period 00:48:00 The Self-Coaching Experiment 00:53:20 Philosophy of Self-Coaching and Independent Thinking 01:04:06 Career Longevity: Multiple Olympic Cycles and Comebacks 01:17:08 Team Fencing Mastery: Roles, Strategy, and Success 01:33:29 Rapid Fire: Favorite Fencers, Cities, and Sean Studs MYO - click here Modern physical therapy to futureproof your body. Through 1:1 expert care, they use full-body awareness and proactive insights to intercept injury, reduce pain, and improve your every day. Use promo code "DIRECTMYO100" for $100 off your first session. Theme song written and performed by Colin Campbell 🔗 Connect with Colin 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/campbelltunes/?hl=en Thank you for listening! 🔗 Check out FencR 🌐: https://www.fencr.app/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fencr.app 🔗 Connect with Us 🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple: https://link.me/directelimination 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directelimination/ 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@directeliminationpodcast 📺 Subscribe for more episodes: youtube.com/@DirectElimination 🔗 Prieur USA 🌐: https://www.prieurusa.com/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prieur_usa/

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Olympic Champion Fencer Romain Cannone on Winning Gold and his Sudden Departure from the Sport | Direct Elimination Ep. 26

Romain Cannone went from Olympic alternate to Olympic gold in Tokyo. He reveals the flow state & fencing culture that made it possible, and why he walked away at his peak. The untold American-French story. The Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts. In this episode, you'll discover: • How straddling American and French fencing systems created the perfect Olympic champion • What a true flow state feels like in competition—seeing opponents in slow motion and becoming immune to mind games • Why the French training center culture (living, eating, training together daily) was essential to his gold medal Romain Cannone made history as the Tokyo Olympic gold medalist in men's épée, representing France after a unique journey that began in the American fencing system. His underdog-to-hero story spans two continents, two training philosophies, and the mental warfare of elite competition. After three years of post-Olympic dominance, he made the brave decision to step away from elite competition to prioritize mental health and family. What would you choose: continuing to dominate at the highest level or walking away for your mental health and happiness? Drop your thoughts in the comments. ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:03:22 Origin Story 00:12:05 The French Training System and Team Culture 00:17:20 Earning Respect on the French Team 00:33:00 Tokyo Olympics Journey 00:48:33 The Flow State - Fencing Without Fear 00:55:35 Winning the Game 01:00:28 Three Years of Dominance 01:06:11 Choosing Happiness 01:09:39 Coaching and Giving Back 01:13:38 One Light Answers 💬 BEST QUOTES "If I didn't start in the US, I wouldn't have been Olympic champion. Just as if I stayed in the US and not gone to France, I wouldn't have won the Olympics." "when you're at the Olympics, each second is pure happiness. So you try to fence as long as you can because sitting in a room, you know, getting water or whatever, that's not what you train your whole life for. You train your whole life to just move and fence with the opponents." MYO - click here Modern physical therapy to futureproof your body. Through 1:1 expert care, they use full-body awareness and proactive insights to intercept injury, reduce pain, and improve your every day. Use promo code "DIRECTMYO100" for $100 off your first session. 🔗 Connect with Romain 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/romaincannone/ Theme song written and performed by Colin Campbell 🔗 Connect with Colin 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/campbelltunes/?hl=en Thank you for listening! 🔗 Check out FencR 🌐: https://www.fencr.app/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fencr.app 🔗 Connect with Us 🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple: https://link.me/directelimination 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directelimination/ 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@directeliminationpodcast 📺 Subscribe for more episodes: youtube.com/@DirectElimination 🔗 Prieur USA 🌐: https://www.prieurusa.com/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prieur_usa/

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The Real Cost of Becoming an Elite Athlete: Dylan Nollner on Sacrifice & Mentality | Direct Elimination Ep. 25

What does it cost to become USA's #1 fencer? Dylan Nollner reveals the sacrifices, mental training, and why he walked away at his peak performance. The Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts. In this episode, you'll discover: • How transcendental meditation and Coach Aladar Kogler's pillars create flow states in sport, and specifically fencing • Why retiring at #1 in the USA made more sense than pursuing Olympic dreams • The hidden costs of competitive fencing: missed weddings, delayed careers, and personal sacrifices • How balancing work and training actually can improve athletic performance instead of hurting it Dylan Nollner is a former elite épée fencer who reached #1 in the USA rankings and trained under legendary coach Aladar Kogler. Now coaching and creating content to break down gatekeeping in fencing, Dylan shares the mental game strategies and life lessons many athletes never talk about publicly. Have you ever walked away from something you were great at? What made you decide it was time? Drop your story in the comments. ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00:00 Introduction: Dylan Nollner's Journey 00:03:30 Getting Started: From Utah to Elite Fencing 00:12:00 Training with Aladar Kogler 00:17:59 The Mental Game: Meditation and Flow States 00:23:44 Retirement: Walking Away as #1 00:32:35 Hating Competition but Loving Fencing 00:34:44 Coaching Philosophy 00:39:02 Breaking Down Gatekeeping Through Content Creation 00:46:05 Balancing Work and Athletic Passion 00:51:47 One Light Answers - Rapid Fire 💬 BEST QUOTES -- "I just didn't want to look back ten years after after retiring and wish I had tried harder." -- "you can feel the cost of giving so much to any endeavor as you go through it." -- "it is an opportunity for mastery. Right? And if I give 100% to this thing, how good can I be?" -- "If you are all in on fencing, you have every egg in that basket, and so when a tournament goes poorly, you are going to judge yourself twice as hard." MYO - click here Modern physical therapy to futureproof your body. Through 1:1 expert care, they use full-body awareness and proactive insights to intercept injury, reduce pain, and improve your every day. Use promo code "DIRECTMYO100" for $100 off your first session. 🔗 Connect with Dylan 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/firstintention/ Theme song written and performed by Colin Campbell 🔗 Connect with Colin 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/campbelltunes/?hl=en Thank you for listening! 🔗 Check out FencR 🌐: https://www.fencr.app/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fencr.app 🔗 Connect with Us 🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple: https://link.me/directelimination 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directelimination/ 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@directeliminationpodcast 📺 Subscribe for more episodes: youtube.com/@DirectElimination 🔗 Prieur USA 🌐: https://www.prieurusa.com/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prieur_usa/