Nickoloz Lortikipanidze, known as “Nicka,” earned a gold medal in the Junior Men’s Saber event of the Junior Olympics. The Junior Olympic Championships are being held concurrently with the US Fencing Summer Nationals at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia now through July 12.
Facing off against a longtime competitor, Darii Lukashenko from Manhattan Fencing Center, Nicka looked to be matched in the first half of the bout. However, he came on strong in the second half of his championship bout, decisively winning 15-7.
“Nicka showed patience and maturity in this bout,” said Tim Morehouse, founder of Tim Morehouse Fencing Club and Olympic silver medalist. “We are thrilled to see him reach this level of success and can’t wait to see what his future holds.”
Nicka earned a gold medal in Cadet Men’s Saber at the Junior Olympics in 2019 and competed for the US National Team for Cadet Men’s Saber. Next up is the July Challenge in Salt Lake City, Utah, later this month. Nicka’s short-term goal is to make the US National Team for Junior Men’s Saber this season. His long-term plan is to train to make the Men’s Saber team for the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
“He is the third generation in the family to fence at a high level,” said Archil Lortikipanidze, Nicka’s father and coach at Tim Morehouse Fencing Club. “He has the blood, he does really well under pressure and he’s really talented.”
The elder Lortikipanidze represented the Republic of Georgia in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and has coached many fencers to make U.S. national teams, elite colleges, and world championships.
A native of Mount Kisco, Nicka, 18, is a graduate of Fox Lane High School in Bedford, New York. He will attend Columbia University in September, where he will fence for famed fencing coach Michael Aufrichtig.
