Middletown, CT (July 31, 2022) — Veteran Tim Morehouse Fencing Club fencer Joanne Gerrish made the top of the medal stand.
The épée fencer won a silver medal in the E + Under Women’s category at the Nutmeg Games in Middletown, CT. There were 21 competitors overall.
Gerrish came out of pools in 16th place and in her second direct elimination bout, upset the #1 seed, 15-14. She took her her third and fourth direct eliminations, 15-14 and 15-8, respectively, to make the finals. She earned 12 to her opponent’s 15 points in the final.
“The funny thing is, I literally didn’t pay attention to tableau and who was next,” Gerrish said. “I just kept fencing. My husband would point me to the next strip, I’d fence, hydrate and then move on.” She added that she didn’t realize she was in the semi-finals until her husband pointed it out. “The philosophy of fencing one touch at a time no matter who is on the other end of that strip is as true as it gets!”
This veteran fencer is less than a year into her journey, having started fencing in September 2021. In her first competition — the Neil Lazar ROC — she prepared with about seven hours of fencing instruction and came in dead last.
She then started working with Coach Dan Bass at Tim Morehouse Port Chester, where her son William, a foil fencer, also trains with Coach Dan. She attends class with Coach Ahmed at Tim Morehouse Chelsea Piers in Stamford, CT.
“You have to put yourself out there, get uncomfortable, and harness those nerves and anxiety into positive energy on strip,” she said. “It’s one touch at a time. It’s a wonderful challenge.”
Congratulations to Gerrish and her coaches.