Peter Westbrook Foundation (PWF) Teams Unite for 2010 U.S. National Fencing Championships

Men's Sabrists Claim 10th National Title

ATLANTA, Aug. 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Peter Westbrook Foundation's athletes joined 6,500 others from around the country to compete for the distinction of being crowned the nation's best at the 2010 Summer National Championships.  Held in Atlanta's Georgia World Congress Center, the annual event showcased some of the best fencers the United States has to offer competing for various titles.  With a new generation of PWF athletes claiming four national championships, three silver medals, and five bronzes, the Peter Westbrook Foundation continued to further its tradition of distinct excellence.

This years National Champions include:

Junior Women's Foil; Nzingha Prescod

Junior Men's Sabre; Adrian Bak

Senior Men's Sabre Team; Adrian Bak, Dan Bak, Luther Clement & Konate Primus

Senior Women's Foil Team; Epiphany Georges, Demeca Homer, Kylie McGill & Nzingha Prescod

Highlighting the championships was the PWF Men's Sabre team capturing its 10th national team title.  The team last won in 2008 with the help of 2000 Olympian, and long-time PWF pupil and mentor, Akhi Spencer-el.  Now, as the Peter Westbrook Foundations head sabre coach, Ahki would help a new and younger PWF team recapture a title that he had been so crucial in attaining as a fencer.  Composed of Daniel Bak (individual bronze medalist) and Adrian Bak (junior gold medalist), the team entered the field of 30 teams with modest ambitions but quickly found their collective stride and proved to be a formidable force as they eliminated some of the nations top teams.  

Most notable of all, however, was the come-from-behind victory against defending champions Manhattan Fencing Center.  Facing a team starting one Olympic medalist and one World Team member, the PWF was pitted as relative underdogs and was forced to fight back from an early deficit for the entirety of the match.  In heroic fashion, displaying poise, composure and a will to win, Dan Bak would step up in the final bout to take the match by defeating Darryl Homer in a thrilling one touche finale, 45-44.  The win would spur on victories in other events that had yet to compete.  The PWF Senior Women's foil team would go on to claim the championship with landslide victories over their competitors.  The Senior Men's Epee team and the Peter Westbrook Junior Sabre Team would go on to earn silver medals in their events as well.

"In all 19 years of the foundation, this national championships is the most exciting I've ever seen," exclaimed Peter Westbrook, founder of the Peter Westbrook Foundation.  "Now, with our Olympians and Olympic medalists retired, we have unveiled a new generation of foundation champions.  With their outstanding performances in Atlanta, this new crop has proven that they are capable of achieving and even surpassing the success of their predecessors."

CONTACT: Benjamin Bratton of the Peter Westbrook Foundation, +1-212-459-4538

SOURCE Peter Westbrook Foundation