Ivan Lee

Ivan Lee (born Ivan James Lee, March 31, 1981 in Brooklyn, New York) is a world-class American sabre fencer. He was a member of the 2001 U.S. Junior World Sabre team, and anchored the team to its first men's world title at the 2001 Junior World Championships in Gdansk, Poland, becoming the first fencer ever of African American decent to win a world fencing championship. He was also a member of the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team in Athens, placing 12th in the individual competition and 4th in the team competition, missing the bronze medal by one point.

Lee graduated from Brooklyn Technical High School in Brooklyn, New York in 1999, winning a full scholarship to St. John's University in Queens, New York. At St. John's, Lee won 2 NCAA individual sabre titles and led the school to its first national championship in 2001. He also took double gold at the 2003 Pan American Games in Santo Domingo, D.R. He graduated in January 2004 with a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism.

After failing to qualify for the 2008 Olympic Team, Lee ultimately retired in 2008, but not before winning his final competition, his 6th U.S. National Championship and 5th on the senior level. He still holds more world championship medals (4) than any American male ever, and he remains the only American fencer ever to win a Junior Olympic Championship, a National Championship, an NCAA Championship, a World Championship, a Pan American Championship and make an Olympic Team.

Lee began fencing in 1994, at the Peter Westbrook Foundation's fencing club, where he currently serves as a volunteer instructor for the club's Saturday morning class.

Awards and honors

*2004 U.S. Olympic Team Member
*1998, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008 U.S. Men’s Sabre National Champion
*2003 Pan American Men’s Sabre Champion
*2003 Pan American Men’s Sabre Championship Team Member
*2001, 2002 NCAA Men's Sabre Champion

References

* [http://www.peterwestbrook.org/ Peter Westbrook Foundation ]
* [http://www.usoc.org/73_2134.htm U.S. Olympic Team (May 16, 2001): "U.S. Fencing's Lee defeats 2000 Olympic Champion to Win Bronze at World Cup", by Cindy Bent]
* [http://www.fencingmedia.org/viewathlete.asp?name=ivan_lee U.S. Fencing Media: Ivan Lee]