En Garde!

The ability to deceive, as opposed to intimidate, is a key psychological advantage in fencing, according to Julia Leszko. She should know. A pharmacist with two part-time jobs, Leszko is also the 2001 US National Champion in women's épée fencing. "You try to get your opponent to see what you're intending to do," she says, "and then you change your moves."

It would seem that at 6-foot-2, Leszko's commanding height puts her ahead of her competitors. But Leszko says that, although her height is helpful, she has lost to people significantly shorter than her. Articulate and detail-oriented, the fencer is happy to explain the basics of her sport to those who are unfamiliar with it. Fencing has three categories: foil, saber, and épée – her sport of choice. The épée (pronounced EPP-pay) is the descendant of the dueling sword; in an épée match, touches can be scored on any part of the opponent's body with the point of the blade. Leszko lists off the psychological qualities that she believes are necessary for success in épée fencing: besides a knack for deception, you need to have confidence in your technique, and you must be able to concentrate, skillfully read your opponents, and react quickly according to their actions.

The Demands of Competition

Leszko is truly committed to her sport, despite her grueling work/training schedule. (Though she has championship status, Leszko currently has no corporate sponsors.) In addition to the cost of traveling to competitions, Leszko pays for her own equipment, which not only is expensive but requires constant upgrading. To finance her training, Leszko has been working since October 2000 as a pharmacist in Portland, Oregon (where she trains with Michael Marx, the coach of the US National Women's Épée Fencing Team). For 24 hours a week, she works as a clinical infusion pharmacist with Legacy Infusion Services; for 10 hours a week, she writes drug information for the American Society of Health System Pharmacists.

The rest of Leszko's time is spent training. Four times a week, in her three-hour fencing lessons, she focuses on developing quick reflexes, flexibility, footwork, and tactics. She also runs three to four days a week and regularly lifts weights. Though she maintains a focused, calm appearance during competition, Leszko admits that she does occasionally get stressed. To relax, she listens to East Indian chants during her runs.

But stress and hard work are the least of her obstacles. As a Type I diabetic, the champion fencer must take 12 to 15 blood sugar readings on competition days. So far, she has successfully used an insulin pump to stabilize her glucose levels during competition.

Fencing for America

The daughter of Hungarian immigrants, Leszko grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, as part of a large Hungarian community, which fostered her sports ambition. "Fencing is a big sport in Hungary," she explains. In fact, American fencers have a tough time competing against Europeans, who have the sport cornered. Efforts are being made to make the sport more viewer-friendly by replacing the traditional iron-mesh mask with a clear version that reveals the player's face – it is hoped this change will increase the sport's popularity with American audiences.

Interestingly, Leszko started fencing only in 1992, while she was studying for her pharmacy degree at the Ohio State University College of Pharmacy in Columbus. Despite this late start, she has been ranked number one in épée fencing in the United States for the past two years (2001 and 2002). She has also competed in six international fencing world cups over the past 12 months and has two top-32 international finishes. She is a member of the US National Team that competed at the 2001 Fencing World Championships, and she will, again, represent the United States at the 2002 World Championships in Lisbon, Portugal. Her goal is to represent the United States in the 2004 Olympics in Athens.

Leszko is ready for the challenge: "I am very competitive. And I like to problem-solve. Every new competition needs a new assessment … and I like to win."

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