In the Hot Seat: Paris 2024 Olympics to Feature GA Student

ATLANTA, GA — Antonio Chen has been one with his sword since he was 8 years old.

And now he will take his passion for fencing to the big arena as he is set to represent Taiwan at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

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The third-year student at Savannah College of Art and Design in Atlanta is the first male fencer from Taiwan to qualify for the Olympic foil fencing category in 36 years, college officials said.

Chen is a member of the SCAD fencing team and is studying graphic design at university. To compete in the Olympics, he first had to win the Asian Zone qualifiers, which he did.

“I’m really excited to be competing in the Olympics this year,” Chen told Patch. “Whenever I’m passionate about something, I want to put my all into it and become the best at it. So the Olympics have been my goal since I was a little kid. It’s also an honor to be able to compete with some of the best athletes in the world.”

It was the flashy equipment and moves that drew Chen to fencing.

He discovered the sport at a summer camp in Taiwan, and although he tried other sports, Chen said it was fencing that intrigued him the most. And fencing has been a big part of his life ever since.

As for what strengthens his bond with fencing, he says he enjoys the exchange between himself and his opponent.

“I think it’s the thrill of trading and clashing blades with your opponent,” Chen said. “I like to have a lot of trading, trying to predict their next move.”

With a bronze medal at the Asian Fencing Championships and a silver medal at the 2018 Buenos Aires Youth Olympics as a high school student, Chen considers his participation in the Paris Olympics to be his greatest achievement.

He noted that winning the Youth Olympics gave him confidence and pushed him to continue his fencing journey.

But even victories come with challenges. For Chen, the obstacle lies in preparing for unexpected challenges, especially when traveling.

“You really have to take into account time differences and deadlines, which is why I always try to submit my work in advance and plan ahead with my professors who are very supportive,” he said.

While studying graphic design at SCAD, Chen said being able to do most of his work on a computer has benefited his travels. As a student-athlete, he has learned time management and improved his communication skills.

Chen views fencing as “a sport with a variety of ‘playing styles.'” He noted that fencers around the world are developing their unique fencing.

“To keep up with the best fencers in the world, I like to watch all kinds of fencers and take as many as possible,” he said.

Chen advised aspiring fencers to take advantage of being on the piste, where the action is.

“Passion is the best motivation,” he said.

Although the Paris Olympics are his first time competing, Chen said he will strive to compete in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Continuing his string of firsts, college officials said Chen is the first SCAD student-athlete slated to compete in the Olympics while also competing in the same sport in college.

“When we launched the fencing program at SCAD, we did so with the vision of seeing SCAD athletes compete at the highest level of their sport,” SCAD Atlanta Athletic Director Glen Hill said in a press release. “There is no bigger world stage than the Olympics, and to have Antonio Chen competing there in 2024 is incredibly exciting and speaks volumes about the hard work and dedication of SCAD athletes and programs.”

Chen is grateful to his SCAD teammates for helping him hone his skills during training, which he plans to continue throughout the summer, he said in the release.

The Olympics will run from July 26 to August 11, with fencing competition starting on July 27.