Blue Devils place at North American Cup

Despite insisting that she has no intention of fencing in the 2012 London Olympic Games, senior Becca Ward continues to prove that she is one of the best sabre fencers in the nation.

Returning to her hometown of Portland, Ore. to compete in the USFA North American Cup last week, the 2008 Olympic Games individual and team sabre bronze medalist had little trouble winning her early bouts and advancing to the finals.

At the Oregon Convention Center last Sunday, the former world champion registered a 15-12 victory over two-time Venezuelan Olympian Alejandra Benitez to win gold.

“It was good to compete again, especially in my hometown,” Ward said. “ I had a lot of old friends and teammates who came to see me, which was a great experience.”

This competition marks Ward’s first appearance at a USA Fencing event since the 2011 USFA North American Cup in Cincinnati, Ohio. The senior lost in the semifinals of that tournament to Ibtihaj Muhammad, a Duke fencing alum who she had little trouble defeating this time around.

Ward adds the title to an already impressive list of accolades. Entering her senior year, the Portland native has won two NCAA national championships over the course of three years. In addition to her performance at the 2008 Olympic Games, she won the gold medal in saber at the 2006 World Championships.

Joined by the rest of her team at the four-day North American Cup, Ward was not the only Duke fencer to put on an impressive display. On the women’s side, Sean Cadley took 27th in the Division I women’s sabre pool and freshman Sarah Collins took 12th in the junior women’s sabre pool. Meanwhile, junior Anthony Lin placed 31st in the Division I men’s sabre event and freshman Rod Shayesteh took 29th in the junior men’s foil division.

“The first competition coming off winter break is always hard because there’s a lot of discrepancy as to how much different team members get to train,” Ward said. “I think that showed a little bit. Overall, though, it was a good way to kick off our schedule.”