A transgender fencer has placed second in a tournament just six months after taking up the sport, defeating female rivals who have been competing for years.
Annika Rose Suchoski, 39, faced some of the best fencers from the United States and Canada at the Fortune Regional Fencing Championships in Ontario this month.
The towering athlete finished second behind veteran fencer Meghan Pinchuk, who was undefeated in the competition.
Suchoski’s medal sparked outrage online. Commentators said the fact she had come second so soon after taking up the sport suggested she retained biological advantages enjoyed by male fencers.
The budding athlete began transitioning in 2018 and underwent surgery in 2022.
She placed second (left) behind veteran fencer Meghan Pinchuk, who was undefeated in the competition.
Annika Rose Suchoski faced some of the best female fencers from the United States and Canada at the Fortune Regional Fencing Championships this month.
“Strength, height and reach are probably advantages in fencing,” said one critic.
‘Taller, greater reach, much more upper body strength.’
Others called her a “cheater” for entering the women’s division.
But Suchoski, who is competing in the Utah-Southern Idaho division, was thrilled with her win, describing it as a “tough but very fun competition.”
“I started in February and fell in love,” she said.
Suchoski was delighted with her win, describing it as a “tough but very fun competition.”
‘It’s really difficult, but I have an excellent coach who is a two-time world champion and who will travel to Dubai in a couple of months to seek a third title.
“Thanks to her, I have been able to work with Olympic athletes and national and international champions. I have a lot of experience and incredible teachers.”
Suchoski placed 25th in the women’s veteran competition and placed 25th out of 55 in a separate women’s competition the same weekend.
It was his first fencing tournament since he started practicing the sport.
This comes months after Liz Kocab, another transgender fencer, claimed her eighth world championship title at the age of 71.
Kocab won the FIE World Veterans Fencing Championships in Florida in October, sparking outrage in the community.
It was his first fencing tournament since he started practicing the sport.
Suchoski’s medal sparked outrage online, with questions being raised about whether she should be allowed to compete in the women’s competition.
Swimming star and women’s sports advocate Riley Gaines called Kocab a “cheater” for competing in the women’s division.
‘Liz Kocab (male) wins her eighth World Fencing Championship title… in the women’s category,’ Gaines said.
“Winning a title as a man in the women’s category does not make you a champion, but a cheater with the right to everything.”
Fencing USA, the sport’s official organisation, has previously said its support for non-binary and transgender athletes in fencing was “both a moral and ethical imperative”.
He began transitioning in 2018 and underwent surgery in 2022.
USA Fencing announced its policy on transgender and non-binary athletes in November 2022.
Chief executive Phil Andrews said at the time: “It is critical that we protect the rights of non-binary and transgender athletes in fencing.”
‘While we plan to conduct further scientific research into the physiological effects of gender transition as it relates specifically to the sport of fencing, we remain unanimously and strongly supportive of transgender athletes having their place in fencing.
‘To be clear, even as this matter evolves, our support for transgender athletes will not waver.’