STONE Anne-Elizabeth

Personal Information

Occupation Athlete, Coach, Student

Languages Arabic, English, Greek, Latin

Higher education Political Studies - Princeton University: United States

License number 31121990000

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Sport Specific Information

When and where did you begin this sport? She took up the sport at age nine at the Fencing 2000 club in Chicago, IL, United States of America.

Why this sport? "My siblings and I were home-schooled, and my parents were looking for sports we could take part in without a school team. We happened to go out for pizza at a neighbourhood restaurant, and a flyer on the table described beginners classes at a local fencing club. This piqued everyone's curiosity. Having just watched the original 'Star Wars' trilogy, I definitely loved the idea of being a Jedi Knight. My older sister was concentrating on ballet, but my younger brother and sister were excited to join me."

Handedness Right

General Interest

Nicknames Eliza (usafencing.org, 27 Jun 2018)

Hobbies Reading, listening to audiobooks. (usafencing.org, 29 Jun 2021)

Memorable sporting achievement Competing at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. (dvidshub.net, 01 Sep 2022)

Most influential person in career Her first coach Hristo Etropolski. (Facebook page, 09 Aug 2017)

Injuries She was bothered by a hamstring injury during her final match at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, but was still able to compete. (chicagotribune.com, 31 Jul 2021)

In September 2017 she underwent knee surgery, which prevented her from competing until November that year. (gofundme.com, 27 Nov 2017)

She had surgery to reattach a tendon in her right hand in October 2014. (Facebook page, 20 Feb 2015)

Sporting philosophy / motto "Don't treat every point as you must get every single point, or every loss as somehow gut-wrenching. No, it's part of the game. You have to expect to win and expect to lose and you just stay focused and calm." (usafencing.org, 29 Jun 2021)

Awards and honours In 2013 she received the C. Otto von Kienbusch Award. The prize is presented to the female athlete who has most demonstrated general proficiency in athletics and the qualities of a true sportswoman at Princeton University. She was also named the Most Outstanding Performer at the 2013 Ivy League round-robins. (princetonvarsityclub.org, 01 Jun 2020; Facebook page, 20 Feb 2015; goprincetontigers.com, 01 Jan 2013)

Famous relatives Her brother Robert and her sister Gracie have both competed in fencing for Princeton University in New Jersey, United States of America. Gracie also represented the United States of America at the 2014 World Junior Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, winning bronze in both team and individual sabre. (SportsDeskOnline, 06 Apr 2022; Facebook profile, 17 Nov 2013; chicagotribune.com, 03 May 2013)

Other information CHANGE OF COACH
She considered quitting the sport after missing out on qualification for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, but was convinced to continue by Oleg Stetsiv, who became her coach following the retirement of Hristo Hristov. "Heartbroken and ashamed, I watched from home as my hardworking teammates became Olympic bronze medallists [in 2016]. I felt I had let myself down and disappointed my coach, my family, and everyone else who supported me along the way. It seemed like the world was telling me to give up. Soon after Hristo Hristov's retirement, I started talking with Oleg Stetsiv, the head coach at Bergen Fencing Club. Oleg had helped me at World Cup competitions when he was attending with his own students. We met and had a very tough discussion. Although he knew I was struggling, he made it clear that I still had something to give to fencing. And if I could find the passion again, he would revamp my training and help me restart my fencing career. I considered all that he said and knew I was not ready to put away my sabre. It wasn't an easy climb back to the top, but Oleg helped me regain my confidence." (SportsDeskOnline, 03 May 2021; bergenfencingclub.com, 01 Feb 2020)

EARLY DAYS
She says her father got her to focus on the sabre discipline as a child so she could share equipment with her siblings. "I actually almost was epee. That's the one I tried out for the longest at the very beginning before my dad told me that I had to do sabre, because that was where my siblings were and we were only going to have one set of gear, so we could share. So the epee world could've been mine. I'm absolutely happy that I ended up in sabre. It definitely fits me much better than epee ever would. I'm a little bit hot-headed. I like to go run around. I like to beat up my brother and sister, and they like to beat me up, so it was a perfect outlet for us growing up. I like the fast-paced action of it and the back and forth of the right of way. That gets to be so fast. And the psychological and mental aspect of having to plan it all out ahead of time, but then having the [quick] reaction that's required in sabre. It's just so much fun. It was a lucky break that my dad forced me into sabre." (usafencing.org, 29 Jun 2021)

FURTHER EDUCATION
She began studying medicine at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in the United States of America in 2022. "The idea of utility stuck in my mind. When I tried to find out how to be useful, I kept coming back to medicine. The idea of serving my country and taking part in humanitarian missions and supporting communities around the world as a physician especially fit into my idea of being as useful as possible." (dvidshub.net, 01 Sep 2022)

OCCUPATION
She has worked as a laboratory chemist in Princeton, NJ, United States of America. She has also served as an assistant coach of the Princeton University fencing team. (Facebook profile, 24 Feb 2022; LinkedIn profile, 24 Mar 2020)