Atlantic Fencing Academy in Tinton Falls will host an open house this weekend to promote the Olympic sport locally.
Agota Balot, manager at Atlantic Fencing Academy, said her club will be open June 28 to aspiring fencers and anyone interested in learning more about the sport.
Fencing is one of five sports that has been a part of every Olympics, but participation in Monmouth County has lagged behind the rest of the state. According to Balot, about 60 high schools in New Jersey have fencing programs, most of which are north of Monmouth County. “In North Jersey, fencing is enormously popular,” said Balot, whose mother was a three-time Olympian on the Hungarian national fencing squad. “People don’t realize it’s an Olympic sport.”
Balot hopes the Olympic connection will spur more interest in fencing. Plus, the World Fencing Championships will be played this summer in Russia, and a strong performance by the U.S. team could bring more attention to the sport.
“That’s always a boost,” Balot said.
The open house coincides with Olympic Day festivities that occur throughout the month of June. Olympic Day June 23 marks the beginning of the modern Olympic Games, which were conceived in 1894 and launched in Athens in 1896.
Several guests will be on hand at Atlantic Fencing Academy, including former Olympians James Carpenter and Istvan Marton. Carpenter, an American, competed in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. Marton represented Hungary in the 1972 Olympics.
The Olympians will take part in a question-and-answer session. There also will be a demonstration of foil, epee and saber fencing.
Atlantic Fencing Academy is located at 1 Sheila Drive in Tinton Falls. The open house is scheduled from 12:30 to 3 p.m.
The club’s summer camps for young fencers are scheduled for the week of Aug. 24. More information can be found on Atlantic Fencing Academy’s website at www.atlanticfencing.com.