Top young fencers from China and the United States met in south China's Guangdong Province on Friday as a university fencing tournament blended competition with cultural exchange.
From August 12 to 16, around 100 students from China and the United States took part in the 2026 China-US College Fencing Invitational and People-to-People Exchange Camp in Guangdong.
The event brought together students from 13 leading U.S. universities, including Harvard, Stanford, Yale and Princeton, as well as students from China's Sun Yat-sen University, Tsinghua University, Peking University and Beijing Sport University.
"I think it's super incredible to meet people from so far away across the world. We got to fence with some Chinese student athletes, which is very interesting. I think their intensity is really amazing. They are just really focused, and they just put everything on out on the strip to just fight till the last touch," said Sammy Freedman, a student from Ohio State University.
After two days of competition, champions were crowned in foil, sabre and epee. Mixed teams added a unique element to the tournament.
"While they looked very casual in daily lives, once they step on the field, they will fight with full strength. So I think young people from both countries, all of us are open-minded. We would like to learn the outstanding cultures from overseas. Also, at the same time, we are very proud of our own cultures," said Lin Xiaosen, a student from Tsinghua University.
Held at a key moment in China-US relations, the event puts shared understanding into action through sports and people-to-people exchange.
"Beyond fencers, we are people. Fencing it's a 'me versus you'. It's one on one. But even at Columbia we embraced this 'me with you'. I feel this competition does something similar. So we are out there respecting each other by fighting and playing against each other," said Michael Aufrichtig, head coach of Columbia University's Fencing Program.
The students also explored Guangzhou on a city tour and experienced cultural and high-tech highlights in Shenzhen.
Fencing brings Chinese, American students together in Guangdong
