Eleanor Harvey made history as the first Canadian to snag an individual fencing medal, bringing home a bronze on Sunday.
Harvey is a specialist in foil fencing and gained international recognition at the 2016 Rio Olympics, where she made her Olympic debut and finished 7th in individual foil, the best result ever for a Canadian fencer at the Olympics at that time.
She made strides in her sport, winning silver in individual and team foil events at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile.
At the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, which started on July 26, the Calgary-based athlete held her ground against Italy’s Alice Volpi, who made a fierce comeback from a 10-4 deficit to tie things up at 10-10.
But Harvey wasn’t having it—she fired off five points to secure a 15-12 victory. Earlier in the day, Harvey herself staged a dramatic comeback in the quarterfinals, edging out Italy’s Martina Favaretto 15-14 after being down 10-4.
But the thrill ride took a dip in the semifinals when she faced off against American Lauren Scruggs, who got the better of her with a 15-9 win, pushing Harvey to the bronze medal match.
The 29-year-old, originally from Hamilton, has been on an upward trajectory and developed quite the fanbase. Over on Stephen Avenue, Team Canada Fan Fest was buzzing as fellow Olympians and fans cheered Harvey on.
“It’s huge, it’s historic and I’m very proud of Eleanor. I’ve known her a long time and it’s really good to see her pull this off!” Joseph Polossifakis, who competed in the 2016 Rio Olympics, told CTV News Calgary.
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Kelleigh Ryan, another Olympic fencer who competed in Tokyo 2020, was full of admiration too.
“I know how hard she’s worked; I know how hard her coaches have worked—they deserve this. It’s so amazing for her, for her coach, and for Canadian fencing, which is up-and-coming in so many ways,” said Ryan.
Polossifakis believes Harvey’s success could inspire a new generation of fencers and be the spark that helps grow the sport in Canada.
Ryan echoed that sentiment: “It’s all entirely surreal, but I also entirely believe in Canadian fencing. I can’t wait to see what’s next for us.”
Canada has sent fencers to compete in the Olympics since 1932, and many athletes have represented the country in various fencing disciplines throughout the years.
Fencing’s popularity has only increased over the years. The number of registered fencing clubs in Canada has steadily grown, with over 100 clubs nationwide.
In Alberta, about 25 affiliated fencing clubs are registered with the Alberta Fencing Association, which oversees fencing activities across the province.
Harvey’s podium finish has the fencing community excited for the future. Harvey herself hopes her success will inspire more youths, especially girls, to try fencing.
“I started going to a lot of local competitions in Canada, but I would have to fence with all the boys because there weren’t enough girls,” said Harvey.
Harvey’s historic achievement isn’t just a personal victory but a critical moment for Canadian fencing.
