🇺🇸 TEAM USA EXTENDS HISTORIC WINNING STREAK TO CLAIM PAN AMERICAN SABRE CROWN

LIMA, PERU — 18 JUNE 2026

The United States’ World number six Team USA maintained their ironclad monopoly over the men’s team sabre discipline on the fourth day of the 2026 Pan American Fencing Championships, capturing yet another continental crown. Records suggest the powerhouse American programme has not lost this team title since at least 2007, and that legendary winning streak was safely extended in Lima as a clinical tactical performance subdued a spirited challenge from Canada 45–36 in the gold medal match.

The familiar result leaves Canada with an extraordinary eighth consecutive men's team sabre continental silver medal, while World number 21 Venezuela battled through a dramatic encounter to secure their third Pan American bronze medal in ten years.

Path to the Podium

Team USA, who lined up with Antonio Heathcock, Colin Heathcock, William Morrill and Darii Lukashenko, received an initial first-round bye before steamrolling past World number 38 Dominican Republic 45–22 in the quarter-finals. In their semi-final match against Mexico, the coaching staff left individual bronze medallist Lukashenko on the bench. The Americans took complete control from the opening, storming out to a commanding 15–4 lead in the first third of the match. Despite a resilient mid-match push where the Mexicans outscored the Americans, the United States maintained a comfortable 30–20 cushion after six legs, effortlessly cruising through the final three bouts to seal a 45–26 victory.

In the gold medal final against Canada, Antonio Heathcock remained on the bench for the USA while Mathis Falcon-Korb rested for Canada. The American trio established an early 15–11 lead after the opening three legs, before systematically stretching that advantage to 30–20 after six. Although a defiant Canadian squad fought back tenaciously to outscore the United States 16–15 over the final third of the match, the American cushion proved insurmountable, ending the contest at 45–36 to secure the championship.

Team Canada, represented by Roman Norris, Andrew Wei, Olivier Desrosiers, and Mathis Falcon-Korb, safely secured their customary silver medal after a dramatic path through the draw. Following a bye, the Canadians dispatched World number 39 Argentina 45–27 to book a semi-final clash with Venezuela. Canada established a close 15–13 lead after three legs, but the match turned upside down in the fourth when Jose Quintero came off the bench for Venezuela to produce a blistering 7–1 run against Wei, shifting the lead to Venezuela at 20–16. Desrosiers steadied the Canadian ship in the fifth leg, firing back with a majestic 9–2 performance against Marcel Medina Sanchez to re-establish a 25–22 Canadian lead. Falcon-Korb then replaced Wei to help close out a tense 45–39 win.

Team Venezuela, fielding a roster of Simon Duran Goyo, Marcel Medina Sanchez, Eliecer Romero, and Jose Quintero, opened their long day with a routine 45–14 win over unranked Guatemala, before eliminating World number 28 Chile 45–36 in the quarter-finals.

Following their narrow semi-final loss to Canada, the Venezuelans engaged in an absolute dogfight against Mexico for the bronze medal. Venezuela held a slim 15–13 advantage after three legs and protected that identical two-point gap to lead 30–28 through the middle third. Duran Goyo came on as a late tactical substitution for Medina Sanchez to keep the rotation fresh. Despite a valiant final-leg assault from Mexico's anchor Gibran Zea, who outscored individual bronze medallist Romero 8–5, Venezuela held their nerve to secure the final podium spot 45–43.

Team Mexico, consisting of Julian Ayala, Brandon Romo, Santiago Ramirez, and Gibran Zea, suffered absolute heartbreak to finish in fourth place. Their tournament nearly ended in disaster in the round of 16 against an unranked Bolivian squad. Mexico looked in total control until Bolivia's Mayer Shepard came off the bench in the sixth leg, executing an explosive 12–3 run against Ayala to shock Mexico and take a 30–28 lead. Romo saved the day in the seventh leg, wrestling back a 35–34 advantage, allowing Mexico to split the remaining points to edge the tie of the round 45–44. They bounced back to rout Brazil 45–26 in the quarter-finals before falling to the USA and Venezuela.

Full results are here.