Colin Heathcock, an 18-year-old fencer, is set to compete for Team USA in the upcoming Paris Olympics. Heathcock, who moved from the U.S. to France to pursue his fencing career, will have the unique experience of competing in what amounts to a home game, as the Olympics will be held in Paris this summer.
Heathcock’s journey to the Olympics has been unconventional. He began fencing at the age of eight in Palo Alto, California, after his father, Virgil Heathcock, noticed a poster for a local fencing class. Heathcock and his older brother, Antonio, initially trained with foil but quickly transitioned to sabre, which captured their interest due to its dynamic nature.
Heathcock’s early fencing experiences included competitions in both the U.S. and China, with the brothers realizing their potential to become elite athletes. Colin began competing internationally by age 13, representing Germany due to his father’s dual citizenship. This involved extensive travel, with frequent long-haul flights for tournaments.
In 2022, the Heathcock family relocated to Orléans, France, after learning that renowned sabre coach Christian Bauer was opening a new academy there. Despite this move being driven by Heathcock’s competitive aspirations, he notes that his French language skills are limited as his training environment primarily uses English.
Heathcock’s performance in fencing quickly improved. At 14, he finished 10th at a junior world cup event. After COVID-19 interrupted his 15-year-old season, he dominated the junior circuit at age 16, winning four out of five events and finishing third in the fifth. He also achieved notable success on the senior level, including a 25th place finish at a grand prix event in Padua, Italy.
In 2022, Heathcock and his family decided to switch their national allegiance to the U.S., despite Germany being ranked higher at the time. This decision was influenced by a greater sense of belonging with the U.S. team and the language and cultural fit.
The switch proved successful. Heathcock won his second consecutive junior world title in 2023 and secured a tie for 11th place at a senior world cup event in Warsaw. He also competed as part of the U.S. men’s senior sabre team, which won bronze at the world championships and achieved significant results, including three gold medals in the 2024 world cup events.
Heathcock was named to the U.S. Olympic team in March 2024. Despite his success, he remains aware of his age and the generational gap with his teammates, who sometimes struggle to understand his slang, while he finds their conversations equally perplexing. Heathcock also mentions his concern about his video game habits and his parents’ stance on Olympic rings tattoos.
As Heathcock prepares for the Olympics, his focus is on achieving his goal of winning a medal, having progressed from an unanticipated Olympic hopeful to a key member of the U.S. fencing team.
