Micahnik, Dave

David M. Micahnik

Sport:
fencing

Country Represented:
United States

Years Competed:
1960, 1964, 1968

Olympic Info:
One of America's top fencers in the 1960s, Micahnik competed at three Olympiads as a member of the U.S. epee team. At the 1960 Games, he competed in the individual epee event and reached the second round before being eliminated. The U.S. team also advanced to the second round before being eliminated 9-5 by Great Britain (led by Allan Jay).

At the 1964 Tokyo Games, Micahnik returned as a member of the U.S. epee team and again competed in the individual and team events; he did not get past the second round in either competition. He competed in one more Olympiad, in 1968 (in Mexico City), and later became the coach of the United States fencing team at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

Career Highlights:
Micahnik began his prestigious fencing career as a student at the University of Pennsylvania, earning All-Ivy League accolades in the Eastern finals in 1958 and 1959. In 1960, he was the U.S. Epee champion and finished in second place in 1964, 1966, and 1968; Micahnik's epee team also won the U.S. championship from 1965-68. In 1965, he competed in the World Maccabiah Games winning the individual epee title and taking second in the individual foil; with his epee and foil teams both winning gold medals. At the 1969 Maccabiah Games, Micahnik again won the individual epee title, and his epee team took the gold in the team event.

Micahnik is a Fencing Master, accredited by the U.S. Fencing Coaches' Association, and coaches the men's and women's fencing teams at the University of Pennsylvania. He has also coached several U.S. National teams, U.S. Under-20 teams, and U.S. World University teams. In 1997, he was honored as the International Fencing Association's Coach of the Year. Micahnik is a member of the University of Pennsylvania Athletic Hall of Fame.

Birth and Death Dates:
b. Nov. 5, 1938

Origin:
Hazelton, Pennsylvania

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