Leon Sanchez Represents Puerto Rico at 2022 Vet World Championships

Leon Sanchez represents Puerto Rico at World Championships in Zadar, Croatia

12 October 2022

Zadar, Croatia —Dr. Leon Sanchez, a Boston-area fencer who trains at Boston Fencing Club in Brighton has competed at the 2022 World Veteran Fencing Championships in Zadar, Croatia, representing his native Puerto Rico. The Championships is an annual tournament showcasing the world’s top fencers ages 50+, and Sanchez was part of the biggest delegation from Puerto Rico to ever attend the event, with four fencers representing the Island. In addition to being a world-class fencer, Sanchez is an Emergency Medicine doctor at Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital.

Sanchez grew up in Rio Piedras and Hato Rey, Puerto Rico, and came to the U.S. for college. Sanchez, who specializes in foil and epee fencing, competed in two events in Croatia, on Sunday and Tuesday. In the men’s aged 50-59 foil competition, Sanchez finished 31st of 57 athletes, and in the vet-50 epee competition, Sanchez advanced to the round of 64, ending in 44th of 90 athletes.

Sanchez’s foil coach, Davis Merritt, traveled to Croatia with him, while his epee coach, Yasser Mahmoud, advised him via video call during Tuesday’s epee event, which began at 9 a.m. in Zadar, 3 a.m. Eastern time. “The experience was great!” Sanchez says about the tournament.

Sanchez enjoys the mental and physical challenges that are unique to the sport. With competitive opportunities at the local, divisional, regional, national and international levels, fencers can test themselves against the best in a sport with lifelong benefits to its athletes.