Elizabeth Tartakovsky and Maia Chamberlain

Elizabeth Tartakovsky and Maia Chamberlain are accomplished fencers and rising stars in the world of saber, and have blazed a trail of excellence on and off the fencing strip. Elizabeth, an alumna of Harvard University, secured the Women’s Sabre NCAA Champion title in 2022 and clinched a silver medal in 2023. Meanwhile, Maia, a Princeton graduate, showcased her prowess as the NCAA champion in 2018 and claimed the bronze in 2022.
Both Elizabeth and Maia’s fencing journeys are adorned with numerous top international and national finishes, but they have their sights set on the ultimate prize: the Olympics. With their hearts set on Paris 2024, these two remarkable athletes are destined to leave a lasting legacy in the world of fencing, representing not only themselves but also their nation on the grandest stage of all.

Sophie Damdinsuren

After attending the Saturday classes I had grown to really love fencing. Fencing, to me, has become so much more than just a mere hobby. It has become my friends, a second family, my safety net, and most importantly a place to do what I love. Every time I step through doors of the club the clash of sabers and the flash of white is imprinted in my mind. And the friends I’ve made along the way and supportive coaches made my experience that much better. I have never once felt left out at my two years here at MFC. So I would like to thank the Yury Gelman foundation for the amazing opportunities and with the help of my coaches and newfound friends I will continue to learn and progress into a better fencer.

Monica Aksamit

After attending the Saturday classes I had grown to really love fencing. Fencing, to me, has become so much more than just a mere hobby. It has become my friends, a second family, my safety net, and most importantly a place to do what I love. Every time I step through doors of the club the clash of sabers and the flash of white is imprinted in my mind. And the friends I’ve made along the way and supportive coaches made my experience that much better. I have never once felt left out at my two years here at MFC. So I would like to thank the Yury Gelman foundation for the amazing opportunities and with the help of my coaches and newfound friends I will continue to learn and progress into a better fencer.

Charleston Kim

The Yury Gelman Foundation has aided me in providing an impactful financial support system allowing me to take private lessons. With the expenses that come with commuting to practice, membership fees, and classes, lessons were always an integral component of fencing I was forced to sacrifice in my career. Due to the foundation’s help, I have been working with Coach Sergey which has allowed me to truly refine my techniques and skills bringing me to a higher level in my fencing. I truly appreciate all that the foundation has done for me in supporting my fencing career.

Matt Linsky

I started fencing just over 4 years ago and the sport has stuck with me deeply. Not only do I enjoy the mix of mental and physical activity, different from other sports where physical activity is more important, but I love competing and producing results as I improve. Every training session is a new step to learn or perfect my skills and every competition is a great test of my improvement. The excitement and drama in every bout is exhilarating and the difficulty and uniqueness of the sport is what draws me to it even more.The Yury Gelman Foundation has helped me practice more and therefore, improve. More practice gives me more time to fence teammates and practice skills in private lessons. Because of this I have been able to travel to more competitions and gain experience. I am becoming more confident with my experience and showing more results since I have had the support from the foundation. Since I am traveling more and competing across the country, the grant has significantly helped me with offsetting travel costs.

Mackienzie Samson

Mariah Mendoza

I like fencing because it pushes me to be stronger both physically and mentally. It also allows for me to grow as a person being around people who want the same thing as me and want to reach the same goals which motivates me a lot more. With the Foundation’s help I was able to start winning competitions and think about my future in fencing and might want to take it to a professional level.