Fencing Alum Kamali Thompson Wins National Championship in Sabre
4.13.16 | Women's Fencing
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RICHMOND, Va. - One of the highest honors in the sport of fencing was achieved by Temple alum Kamali Thompson ('12), who won the U.S. Fencing National Championship in Division I women's sabre on April 11 at the Richmond Convention Center. Â Â Thompson with Coach FrankeThompson prevailed 15-14 in the championship bout against Francesca Russo of Notre Dame, the 2015 NCAA Champion in sabre. Thompson's semifinal win was also a thriller, which she pulled out by a narrow score of 15-13. Â
"It was just great to see her fencing so well and being so tough in some very close bouts," said Temple head coach Nikki Franke. "I think she's our first alum to win a national championship. To come back and do this well after her recent Olympic Team letdown says a lot about her character."
It has been just two weeks since Thompson's dream of competing in the 2016 Summer Olympics came to an end when she missed making the sabre team by just two spots. Thompson placed sixth overall on her quest, while the team is made up of three fencers and an alternate.
Thompson will continue to fence, but also has plenty of other dreams to pursue. She has already received her MBA, and will now go back to Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Jersey where she has already completed two years.
