By Nika Madyoon

Raymond Schorr ’13 will represent the United States at the Fencing World Championships in Amman, Jordan on March 30.
Schorr, a silver medalist at the Junior Olympics and the second rancked fencer for his age group nationally, has been fencing for five years. He practices five days a week for two hours each day, stretching, warming up, doing footwork and fencing during each practice.

In order to represent the U.S., Schorr had to hold his spot as number two in the nation.

“There is no better feeling than beating someone and doing it by yourself without anyone’s help,” Schorr said.
Schorr described winning silver at the Junior Olympics as “an unreal experience.”

“Not only was I fencing the best fencers in a higher age group (under 20), but in order to make it to the final bout I beat the number one guy in my age group,” Schorr said.

In addition to winning a silver medal in the U-20 group, Schorr also fences for the U-17 national team.

Although he participated in the Junior Olympics several times over the course of the past five years, Schorr said he never accomplished much in the Junior Olympics until now.

At the Fencing World Championships, Schorr will have to compete for one day but will cheer for the other members on the team as well. He has been working “doubly hard” to prepare and has been put on “an intensely rigorous schedule” by his fencing coach.

“We are all excited and nervous too,” Schorr’s mother, Shu-Mei Shih, said.

“I am really nervous for Jordan because this is the first time I will actually be representing my country,” Schorr said.