Claire Kosewick & Fiona Mittelstaedt
Reporters

While many students play club sports like volleyball and basketball, freshman Erika Wong fences with the Massialas team where she prepares for the Foil Marathon in Paris, France and the U.S. Junior Olympics in Richmond, Virginia.

The Foil Marathon, an annual fencing competition taking place Feb. 6-8, will be Wong’s first time competing at the international level. Participants fight throughout the day, going through several rounds until they are eliminated, according to Wong.

In Paris Wong will fence on the first day, with the possibility of advancing further depending on her scores.

“For Paris my goal is to make it to the second day of fencing because I want to fence more,” Wong said.

From Paris Wong will travel to Richmond for the Junior Olympics where she will fence Juniors, a competition for 19-years-old and under and Cadets, a competition for 16-years-old and under. The competition begins with an initial round of fights before competitors are put into direct elimination, according to Wong.

“In the Junior Olympics I really want to be in the top half of the results,” Wong said. “If I do well at the Junior Olympics, I have a great chance to go to the real Olympics.”

Wong fences four to five times a week during the school year at the Massialas Foundation in San Francisco. During the summer, however, she spends five to six hours a day, every day, practicing.

“I never really stop training,” Wong said. “But I do love it. It is amazing.”