Bravin, Nick

Sport:
fencing

Country Represented:
United States

Years Competed:
1992, 1996

Olympic Info:
Bravin was a member of the United States' fencing team at two Olympiads. At the 1992 Barcelona Games, Bravin participated in the foil event, finishing 39th in the individual competition.

Bravin returned to the Olympics in 1996, and prior to the Atlanta Games, author David Halberstam called Bravin: "...the first American in years to show that he might be able to compete at fencing's highest level--against the mighty Europeans, who dominate the sport and who subsidize it handsomely."

Although many expected Nick to challenge for a medal, he again finished 39th overall after losing his first round match. Bravin also competed for the U.S. team, which finished 10th (out of 11 teams). They lost, 45-32, in their first bout against Austria, then beat Venezuela, 45-35, before losing to China, 45-42.

Career Highlights:
Bravin grew up in Los Angeles and began fencing at the age of 12 at the Westside Fencing Center. In the late 1980s, he moved to Palo Alto and attended Stanford University, where he became one of the top foil fencers in the country. A three-time NCAA Champion in the individual foil (1990, 1992, and 1993), Nick also won the U.S. National Championship four times, the last in 1996 when he defeated fellow Jewish Olympian Cliff Bayer. A member of the U.S. National team from 1990-1996, Nick competed internationally at the highest levels, winning the bronze medal in the individual foil at the 1991 and 1995 Pan American Games (he also won the silver in the team competition at both Games), and competed in the World Championships in 1993 and 1994. After graduating from Stanford in 1993, Nick attended Columbia Law School and graduated with a JD degree after taking a year off to prepare for the 1996 Olympics.

Birth and Death Dates:
b. May 28, 1971

Origin:
Los Angeles, California

< Previous |  Next >