Three-time U.S. Olympian Tim Morehouse may not be participating in this summer’s Games in Rio. but the Bronx native is eager to make the sport he loves grow and impact others in the Big Apple.
Many of Morehouse’s teammates from the London 2012 Summer Olympics will compete in August, including three others with New York ties. The 2008 silver medalist in men’s team saber has transitioned into coaching but occasionally has been fencing with past teammates and lending an ear.
“We are probably sending the best team we’ve ever sent to the Olympics,” said Morehouse, who grew up in the Riverdale section of the Bronx. “It’s a great time for fencing in the United States and New York City. It’s just a great group of athletes and stories. The fencing world is set up for a breakthrough Olympics.”
All three fencers on the men’s foil team have been ranked first or second in the world rankings (Alexander Massialas, Gerek Meinhardt and former New Yorker Miles Chamley-Watson). Other New Yorkers on the team include Nzingha Prescod and Daryl Homer — whom Morehouse has known for 25 years.
“I love all our guys from New York,” Morehouse said. “There’s always a bond being from New York City. We always love representing the country, but also New York. Nothing phases us when we’re out there competing coming from New York City.”
When Morehouse, 37, was coming up in the sport, the goal was just to make it to the Olympics. Now, he believes the U.S. team’s goals are what they should be — trying to win gold medals.
Last October, he opened The Tim Morehouse Fencing Club on the Upper West Side to teach not just fencing, but the Olympic values he has learned.
“The club has really brought together a lot of elements of my life and has allowed me to bring some of our kids who are fencing in Harlem to a space where I could teach them,” Morehouse said. “Hopefully, I’m going to add to that legacy of New York fencing, and I look forward to help preparing the future and hopeful Olympic gold medalists as a coach.”
