Olympian Cliff Bayer is the country's best foiler

In a sport ruled by youth, Cliff Bayer's success is still uncommon. For his accomplishments throughout the 1996-97 season, the United States Fencing Association named 20-year-old Bayer, a sophomore at Penn, Male Athlete of the Year. Bayer's accomplishments both at college and international level were the basis of the honor. Fueling his success were Bayer's international success and his title as the 1997 NCAA foil champion. He has represented the United States at multiple international events, including the 1996 Olympic Games and the 1997 World Championships, where he became the first US male foil to earn a medal, a bronze, in the Under-20 Championships. Coming off such a successful season, both coach and fencer agree that there is always more. "[Bayer] had a couple of bouts that got away last year," Quakers coach David Micahnik said. "He was not totally undefeated. There is always more." "Of course, I would love to win the NCAA again this year," Bayer said. "It is a very prestigious title for the myself and the school. For myself, I would like to train and keep going until the Olympics in 2000, that is really the pinnacle for all fencers. And hopefully win a medal, that is the greatest achievement that anyone can really do." Bayer, the "Ace of Trumps" in Micahnik's terms, lives up to the title not only on the strip of competition, but also during practices. Bayer takes his sport seriously, leading his own practice and training schedule. But Bayer is still a team player, drawing off the skills of his teammates. "He gains a lot of bout experience from his teammates," Micahnik said. "If people cannot hit you, you aren't getting a push. But his teammates are pushing him; they are hitting him." In the U.S., fencing is a sport dominated by the young, with men and women in their early 20s and late teens leading the way. One of Bayer's most impressive achievements was his place on the 1996 U.S. Olympic foil team in Atlanta. "The Olympics are a very stressful tournament, it is very quick, it is very fast and there is really not much time to breathe," Bayer said. "For fencing, the Olympics are really the pinnacle of everything." Bayer is hoping his appearance in Atlanta can be used to his advantage if he makes the 2000 Sydney team. "The most important thing in my opinion is the experience," Bayer said. "When you go out to a stadium where hundreds, or maybe thousands, of people are screaming to you by name for fencing, it is really unlike most other tournaments. By going through that experience, you learn to block it out and really just concentrate on the task ahead of you." But even at such a high level of competition as the Olympics, the U.S. was represented by two college students and recent high school grad Bayer. "I think that fencing is starting to catch on and enter the media more than it did 10 years ago," Bayer said. "People are starting to learn about it more and starting to get an idea of what it is about, and I think that the younger generation has the responsibility to keep that up." "It is a relatively recent sport," Micahnik said. "The idea is to start with little 10-year-z, that way by the time they are teenagers they have the experience. Fencers do not usually peak in their teens though; they peak in their early 20s." This gives Bayer time for future success in college, but more importantly, at the international and Olympic level. But in a sport that is ruled by the young, who knows how many 15-years-olds are out there that in three years to challenge Bayer.