Fencer Ryanne Leslie takes the Bronze in Budapest and Scores the Gold Medal for Team USA

Curious how our #FiredUpFriday fencing fanatic did in Budapest at the Under 17 World Cup Fencing Competition?

She scorched it! SCH junior Ryanne Leslie scored the match winning point to give Team USA a 45-44 gold medal win in the final. Team USA medaled in every event at the Budapest Cadet European Cup, winning a total of 6 medals, including 2 golds! 

Individually, Ryanne caught a bronze while in Hungary, finishing 3rd out of 260 fencers! The bronze medal now ranks her at #18 internationally for her age group (as qualified by the European Fencing Federation).

Congrats to Ryanne and Team USA! The last time we featured Ryanne (and her foil!), she was on her way to Europe (see our #FiredUpFridays post below). We can't wait to hear about another fired-up performance on the strip again! Read more about the competition here.

#FiredUpFridays featured on November 19, 2021

Flying around the world to pursue her passion for fencing that she discovered at the age of 11, Ryanne Leslie ignited our attention for this week's #FiredUpFriday. Currently competing in Budapest for an Under 17 World Cup Fencing Competition, Ryanne was selected to compete with Team USA on the Under 17 and Under 20 international circuits and is currently ranked nationally as the #1 USA Women's Foil Fencer for her age group (and #6 for women under 20). And the fired-up phenomenon goes on: she was named the USA Fencing High School All-American, All-Academic First Team (twice!), and won a bronze medal at the USA Fencing Junior Olympics this past summer. Ryanne says, "Fencing will remain a lifelong passion for me. I'm hoping to take my fencing career to the next level while competing in college and to maybe make an Olympic team someday." Watch out world, Ryanne has definitely "kindled her own fire" and we'll be en garde to watch her take it on!