By:Andrew Coen
Tiomkin, 25, qualified for the Olympics when he placed second at fencing's national championships in Atlanta earlier this year. The 1999 Hewlett High School graduate will compete in the men's individual competition as well as team foil.
Since qualifying for the Games, the 5-foot-11, 190-pounder and his U.S. teammates have been training hard, attending a 10-day training camp in Charlotte, N.C. Additional training sessions are scheduled for the New York Fencers Club in Manhattan later this month and in Moscow from July 27 to Aug. 8.
Tiomkin and his U.S. teammates will then head to Greece for more training before the opening ceremonies in Athens on Aug. 16. Tiomkin is excited about the opportunity to represent his country on fencing's biggest stage.
"We always represent our country in the World Cup events, but to represent our country in the Olympics is going to be beyond amazing," said Tiomkin, who won national fencing titles in 1999 and 2003. "It's going to be a life experience."
National titles are among many career accomplishments for Tiomkin, who was ranked 64th in the world in 2001 and 2003. The Hewlett resident also won a silver medal in the individual foil at the 2003 Pan American Games and a gold medal in team foil. Most recently he finished second, behind his Olympic teammate Dan Kellner, at the 2004 nationals.
In addition to his individual accomplishments, Tiomkin, a former Bulldogs fencer, was a member of St. John's national collegiate championship team in 2001. He got involved in fencing in 1996, as a freshman at Hewlett, when a friend convinced him to join the team. It became apparent early on that the sword and Tiomkin fit well together, after he defeated the team captain on his first day of practice.
In his sophomore year he was named captain, and that year Tiomkin got serious about his fencing career, when he began training at the New York Fencers Club in Manhattan with Michael Petin, a Ukrainian coach. Petin taught Tiomkin the fundamentals of the foil, which is one of three swords used in fencing. Working hard under Petin's guidance, Tiomkin led Hewlett to three straight Long Island titles from 1997 to 1999 and captured the individual county championship in his senior season.
Tiomkin was also coached by Simon Gershon, who led the Soviet Union's national fencing team before emigrating to the U.S. 10 years ago.
Gershon taught Tiomkin the Russian method of fencing, which is strategic and technique-oriented, in contrast to another style dominant in international competition, the German method, which is very aggressive.
"I am thrilled but not surprised that he made it, because he has always had this amazing tenacity," said Tiomkin's mother, Rebecca. "This sport has done so much for him."
Tiomkin's Olympic experience will last only two days: the individual competition on Aug. 16 and the team medal round on Aug. 21. "As long as I just do my best, everything will take care of itself," he said.
An American has not won an individual men's medal in fencing since Albert Axelrod took home a bronze in the 1960 Games in Rome.
The last time the U.S. won a medal in the team foil competition was in the 1932 Games in Los Angeles.
Tiomkin, who has tried hard to avoid distractions since qualifying for the Olympics, said that he'll be excited when the Games begin, but he hopes the American team will remain focused. "Hopefully we'll be able to stay below the radar and keep to ourselves," he said.
In Tiomkin's eight-year journey to the Olympics, he has kept a journal, noting every one of his bouts, both in practice and in competition. Whatever his results are in Athens, his fencing career thus far has been a swashbuckling success.
