Miles Chamley-Watson

Miles Chamley-Watson, (born December 3, 1989) is a British-born American right-handed foil fencer.

Chamley-Watson earned a full scholarship to the Pennsylvania State University in the year 2008.

During his tenure at Penn State, Chamley-Watson majored in Sports Management, where he transferred what he had learned and what he was continuing to learn from the sport of fencing to help boost his knowledge in his area of study.

During Chamley-Watson's first year as a Division I NCAA fencer, he maintained a 19–4 record.

He advanced to the semi-finals round in the national championship tournament in the men's foil category.

However, Chamley-Watson was defeated in the semi-finals 15 to 14 by teammate Nicholas Chinman.

The Nittany Lions Fencing team ended the tournament on top as the 2008–2009 National Team Champions.

Much like his first year, Chamley-Watson went to the semi-final round of the NCAA championships.

He was defeated by Notre Dame's Olympic fencer Gerek Meinhardt.

Nearing the end of his collegiate career, Chamley-Watson had the choice to redshirt his junior year of college, which would mean taking the year off from competitions in favor of more intense practice and skill-development, or choose to compete and redshirt his senior year.

Chamley-Watson decided to compete in the NCAA Championships his junior year and redshirt his senior year.

After finishing 2nd place in men's foil at the NCAA tournament, Chamley-Watson decided that it was time to utilize his allotted redshirt year.

During this hiatus from NCAA competition, Chamley-Watson privately practiced fencing.

Chamley-Watson would earn himself the top spot on the United States' Olympic Fencing team as a foil fencer.

Chamley-Watson entered the 2012 Summer Olympics as the No. 2 ranked foil fencer.

His first round in the games he was presented a bye into the next round.

In the second round, Chamley-Watson fenced Alaaeldin Abouelkassem, an opponent representing the country of Egypt, and was defeated 15 – 10.

Abouelkassem went on to earn the silver medal in the event.

In the team event, the United States beat France 45–39 in the quarterfinals, but lost 24–45 to Italy in the semi-final.

In the bronze medal fight, the United States lost 27–45 to Germany.

At the 2013 World Championships, Chamley-Watson became the first male US fencer to win an individual gold medal at the World Championships.

At the 2016 Olympics, Chamley-Watson again lost in the second round, this time to Russia's Artur Akhmatkhuzin, 13–15.

In the team event, the United States beat Egypt 45–27 in the quarterfinals, before losing 41–45 to Russia in the semi-finals.

In the bronze medal match, the United States beat Italy 45–31.

During a match in his World Championships debut, Chamley-Watson wrapped his arm around the back of his head and struck his opponent in the chest with his foil.

It was the first time a fencer had ever used this kind of behind-the-back flick in a competition.

Unsure of its legality, the referee stopped the match to check the move on video replay.

After it was determined to be legitimate, Chamley-Watson was awarded his own signature fencing move, eponymously named 'the Chamley-Watson'.

Growing up, Chamley-Watson was engaged in the fashion world by his mother, who was formerly a model in the UK.

In addition to his interest in fashion, Chamley-Watson was motivated to begin modeling as a way to give the sport of fencing more exposure.

When Chamley-Watson was 17-years-old, he was scouted by Ford Models while walking on the street in New York City.

However, he told the agency that he was going to college soon and couldn’t sign with them.

A few years later, when Chamley-Watson redshirted his senior year of college to prepare for the Olympics, he took the opportunity to also begin modeling on the side.

From there, Chamley-Watson’s modeling career grew.

He is a 12-time team Pan American champion, team world champion (2019), individual world champion (2013), two-time Olympian, and team Olympic bronze medalist (2016).

Miles Chamley-Watson was born in London.

He is of Jamaican, Irish, British, and Malawian descent.

He spent the first eight years of his life as a resident of the UK until he and his family moved to the United States.

Upon arriving to the US, Chamley-Watson and his family settled in New York City, where he began fencing one year later, at the Knox School in Saint James, New York.

After spending four years in New York City, Chamley-Watson and his family settled in Philadelphia.