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Epee master

By EILEEN SCHULTE, Times Staff Writer
Published September 28, 2007

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It was late June and 10-year-old Alexander Duncan stood in Miami holding a long, pointed weapon in his hands.

This was the big city and he was preparing to face a gang of kids who wanted to beat him.

Sure, he was quick on his feet, but could he prevail?

For starters, the fifth-grader had been fencing for less than two years.

Second, he was unranked, never a promising way to enter a big fencing tournament.

And third, he was up against some of the best fencers in the country at the U.S. Fencing Association national championships June 29-July 8.

If he was jittery, he had good reason.

But he had at least two things in his favor.

He is coached by Boyko Krastevitch, a former member of the Bulgarian national fencing team, at the Tampa Fencing Academy.

And the sport courses through his blood.

His father, Douglas Duncan, and grandfather both participated in the ancient sport.

Still, when it came time for Alexander's first bout in the under-10 division of the epee, he faced his opponent alone.

He donned his wire-mesh mask, thick canvas bib, thick jacket, knickers and a padded glove.

He picked up his epee - "sword" in French - a triangular 90-centimeter blade descended from the dueling sword.

Then he stepped onto a battlefield 6 feet wide and 44 feet long.

It was time. En garde!

In that first match, Alexander's epee "touched" his competitor's body five times, an electronic sensor confirming each touch. With that, the bout was over.

He had won.

Then he won another match.

Then another.

And another.

And another.

Alexander was on fire.

In the championship match, he met Justin Yoo from the Los Angeles International Fencing Center. Alexander had shown himself to be surprisingly good. But that day Justin was better.

Alexander went home to Oldsmar and the gifted program at Forest Lakes Elementary School with a silver medal and a lot of pride.

"It felt good," he said. "I didn't think I'd win the silver."

"It was a very stressful and exciting week, but we were thrilled when he won," said his mother, Deanna Duncan.

Later, as a bonus, Alexander's photo appeared in Sports Illustrated. Don't be surprised if you see his face again in the future.

Alexander has high goals and wants to compete in the Olympics someday.

Where does he get his fighting spirit?

"He's a Duncan," said his mom with a laugh. "They always have been and always will be competitive. It runs in their Duncan Scottish clan."

Eileen Schulte can be reached at schulte@sptimes.com or 727 445-4153.

[Last modified October 2, 2007, 19:04:24]