RYAN Kelleigh

Personal Information

Family Husband Alex Martin

Residence Calgary, AB, CAN

Occupation Athlete, Business Owner, Coach, Personal Trainer

Languages English, French

Higher education Sociology - University of Ottawa: Canada

License number 15011987002

Club

Upcoming Events

Sport Specific Information

When and where did you begin this sport? She began fencing at age 10 at a camp at the University of Ottawa in Ontario, Canada.

Why this sport? Her parents encouraged her to have a sport for each season of the year. She initially did karate but did not enjoy it and was looking for something else. She saw fencing on television and, although she was not sure if she liked the sport at first, she stuck with it so she did not have to do karate.

Club / Team Epic Fencing Club: Calgary, AB, CAN

Name of coach Alex Martin [personal, husband]

Handedness Right

General Interest

Nicknames Smelleigh Lion (olympic.ca, 01 Aug 2015)

Hobbies Spending time in nature, reading, watching TV. (olympic.ca, 23 Jul 2021)

Hero / Idol Canadian fencer Sherraine Schalm. (olympic.ca, 01 Aug 2015)

Superstitions / Rituals / Beliefs She eats pasta the night before a competition, and has pizza and red wine once the tournament has finished. (olympic.ca, 01 Aug 2015)

Sporting philosophy / motto "I have failed over and over and over again in my life, and that is why I succeed." [Michael Jordan] (olympic.ca, 01 Aug 2015)

Awards and honours In 2009 and 2010 she was named Female Athlete of the Year at Carleton University in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (LinkedIn profile, 2016)

In 2009 and 2010 she was named Fencer of the Year in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (fencing.ca, 2012)

She is a member of the Ottawa Fencing Hall of Fame in Ontario, Canada. (ottawafencing.ca, 2012)

Famous relatives Her husband Alex Martin has worked as a fencing coach at the Empire United Fencing Club in Union City, NJ, United States of America. (ottawasportspages.ca, 21 Jul 2021 stratfordfencingclub.ca, 07 May 2015)

Other information RETURN TO CANADA
In 2020 she and her husband relocated to Calgary, AB, Canada. She had spent the previous seven years living in New York City, NY, United States of America, but she was motivated to make the move with the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo in mind after New York saw a surge in COVID-19 cases. "It hasn't been easy. It's been stressful. There have been times where I've cried. But it's all been about setting ourselves up as best we can for the future." (University of Calgary KGSA Instagram profile, 04 Dec 2022; calgary.ctvnews.ca, 29 Oct 2020; glebereport.ca, 13 Aug 2020)

FURTHER EDUCATION AND OCCUPATION
In 2013 she obtained a master's degree in political science from Carleton University in Ottawa, ON, Canada. In 2023 she graduated with a master's degree in kinesiology and exercise science from University of Calgary in Canada. She is a certified personal trainer with her own business, and is also a part-time fencing coach. (LinkedIn profile, 30 Apr 2023; University of Calgary KGSA Instagram profile, 04 Dec 2022; YouTube channel, 14 Sep 2022; Lion Ethik Instagram profile, 03 Jun 2021; fencingontario.ca, 01 Apr 2020)

OTHER ACTIVITIES
She has served as an athletes' representative at the Canadian Fencing Federation. (fencing.ca, 23 Mar 2023; athletescan.ca, 20 Nov 2020)