For Two Fencers, Paths Cross Again in Cambridge

It is the spring of 2014 and two Harvard women’s fencers are squaring off for the NCAA individual championship in saber. Though teammates, this wasn’t the first time the two had met, and it most certainly wouldn’t be the last.

In a closely contested match, then-freshman Adrienne Jarocki narrowly bested teammate, friend, and then-sophomore Aliya Itzkowitz to confirm herself as the best collegiate saber fencer in the country for the year.

Crimson coach Peter Brand’s ability to recruit two genuine stars at the collegiate level has been a step up for the Harvard fencing program. Even more so when you consider them as teammates and sparring partners nearly every practice at the Malkin Athletic Center.

The NCAA final in the spring of 2014 can be seen as a great achievement for both fencers—it highlighted the similarities between the two and how their relationship has propelled each other to greater heights.

Throughout both of their lives, the two athletes have been pushing themselves for gold. in fencing, there’s wins and losses, and no in between. Just the fencer and her saber.

The two have had an interestingly symmetric rise to success. Harvard, to its credit, has brought these two forces together so that everyday in practice two of the best saber fencers in the US can spar against each other. But along the way, the two have become much more than simply partners on the strip.

Itzkowitz grew up in London but had a two-year stint in New York from when she was nine. In Manhattan, a friend’s mother told Itzkowitz’s mother about a fencing club in the area, thus beginning Itzkowitz’s career.

Her coach in New York would also become Jarocki’s later on. When Itzkowitz moved back to London, she joined the prestigious Camden Fencing Club, one of the two most notable saber clubs in England. From there, her career took off.

She has represented Great Britain at major international tournaments, but perhaps her most important event to date was the U-17 Camden International, a tournament which was conveniently hosted by her home club.

Itzkowitz was impressive throughout the tournament and finished second. But more importantly, she got the attention of an important attendee. Brand had been looking for talent, and Itzkowitz’s performance with her saber piqued his interest.

While at these international tournaments, Itzkowitz often ran into Jarocki on the strip and off it. The nature of the fencing world is small, resulting in competitors often knowing about each other and meeting. Thus, the two had known each other and competed against each other on multiple occasion.

Jarocki, like her Harvard teammate, also started her fencing career in New York City. But instead of a referral, Jarocki’s mother learned about a fencing opportunity through the local Polish newspaper when her daughter was 12.

After two years, she joined a club team and competed in national tournaments and joined Itzkowitz in the international circuit.

When it came to college decisions, Jarocki, like Itzkowitz, was in high demand. She elected to fence for the Crimson and become a teammate of who she called a “big foe.”

“When I found out I was coming here, and she was already here already I was really excited,” Jarocki said. “She is really good.”

In practice, the two have pushed each other to achieve more, work harder, and avoid slacking off.

“With me and her, we both work really hard, and it’s been great having someone like that on the team who also really wants to improve and compete,” Itzkowitz said.

When one of them is sitting on the bench or is inactive in general, the other will encourage the other to get up and get fencing. The two help each other take full advantage of the sport that they love so much.

And when squaring off in practice, competitive sparks tend to fly between the two.

“We definitely get intense, [and] not just us, the guys too,” Itzkowitz said. “Saber attracts big personalities. It’s a lot quicker and more dramatic and also more subjective, which can lead to some arguing in practice.”

Not only are the two fencing against each other daily, but in the largest national and international tournaments, they are squaring off with each other on the strip as well.

When they encounter each other as opponents, both put away their friendship and battle on.

For Itzkowitz, it is important for her to see Jarocki only as a competitor in those situations.

“Its definitely tough,” Itzkowitz said. “We had to fence a couple of weeks ago in the final of the Penn State Open. I think I’ve gotten quite good at pretending it’s anyone else. It’s definitely something I used to struggle with [be]cause you’re like “oh it’s my friend,” and you kind of lose the competitive drive to it.”

Jarocki’s focus is similar but perhaps more clear cut in determining friend and foe based on the situation.

“We both dissociate ourselves from our friendship,” Jarocki said. “When we are fencing, we fence, that’s our goal—to win—no matter who you are fencing against.”

Though competing against a teammate outside of practice seems strange, in fencing it’s simply part of the sport.

“It is the nature of fencing,” Itzkowitz said. “In the Olympics and Internationally, fencing is both a team sport and an individual sport, so I’ve had that before with my [Great Britain] teammates, when you are cheering them on in a team tournament [and] then you have to compete against them in an individual tourney.”

This spring, Itzkowitz and Jarocki will hope to bring home the team’s first Ivy League Championship. Led by the two sabers, the women’s fencing team will be trying to make history.