Maplewood, New Jersey is celebrating the U.S. Olympic Women’s Foil team — and in particular, fencer Jackie Dubrovich — after they claimed the Gold medal at the Paris Olympics.
The win is the first ever team gold for U.S. fencing.
Dubrovich has been training at the New Jersey Fencing Alliance on Hilton Avenue in Maplewood. She moved to Maplewood with her coach and fiancé Brian Kaneshige during the pandemic to continue her training for the Tokyo Olympics.
Dubrovich shares the Gold with her teammates Lee Kiefer, Lauren Scruggs and Maia Mei Weintraub. The U.S. women defeated Italy by a score of 45-39 in the final round, after defeating Canada in the semifinals and China in the quarterfinal event. Kiefer won Gold in the individual foil event and Scruggs won Silver.
View this post on Instagram
Maplewood Mayor Nancy Adams congratulated Dubrovich and Kaneshiga on the win.
“It was my honor to join Jackie and Brian at her good luck farewell part at the NJFA before she left for the Olympics,” said Adams. “I told her how proud we are of her and to just simply enjoy the Olympic experience in the beautiful city that is Paris. This is just fantastic news and I couldn’t be more happy for her and her family! Another great fencer out of Maplewood. Congratulations to Frank [Mustilli] and NJFA too!”
Reached for comment shortly after the win, Frank Mustilli, founder of the NJFA said, “Congratulations, Jackie! NJFA is so happy to see you bringing Gold home to our club and to the United States!”
Mustilli was watching the event with his daughter Marissa, who is herself a decorated fencer and NJFA member.
Asked if the NJFA would be hosting a big party for Dubrovich and Kaneshiga upon their return, Mustilli replied, “Oh yeah!”
Maplewood native Ibtihaj Muhammad also won a fencing medal representing the U.S.A. at the 2016 Olympics in women’s team sabre.
