Jonathan Tiomkin

Jonathan Tiomkin

Personal information
Born	(1979-07-12) July 12, 1979 Brooklyn, New York, United States
Sport
Sport	Fencing
Medal record Mens' fencing Competitor for  United States Pan American Games Gold 2003 Santo Domingo Team Foil Silver 2003 Santo Domingo Individual Foil Maccabiah Games Silver 2001 Israel Team Foil Silver 2001 Israel Team Epee

Jonathan Tiomkin (known as "Jon"; born July 12, 1979, in Brooklyn, New York) is an American foil fencer.

Tiomkin played competitive youth tennis before trying fencing.

Fencing career

High School

Tiomkin took up fencing as a freshman in Hewlett High School, and defeated the captain of the team on the first day of practice. He did not take his fencing very seriously until the summer of his sophomore year, when he was kicked out of a summer camp. As a result, the only activity he was allowed to do was fencing; he began to love the lessons and started to excel by age 17, when he qualified for the Junior National team.

NCAA Championships

Fencing for St. John's University, Tiomkin won the bronze medal in foil at the 1999 NCAA Championships,^[1] and was a 1st-team All-American.^[2] In 2001 he came in 6th.^[3] He won the silver medal in 2002.^[4]

National competitions

He was the American foil champion in 1999 and 2003. Tiomkin finished 2nd at the 2004 Nationals to Dan Kellner.

Pan American Games

He won the team gold and individual silver (losing to Dan Kellner) at the 2003 Pan American Games.

World Championships

His individual result at the world championships was 64th in 2001 and 2003, 52nd in 2002,^[5] and then 45th in 2006, and his best team result was 9th in 2003.

World Cup

Tiomkin won the bronze medal in the 2005 Shanghai World Cup.^[6]

Olympics

He made his Olympic debut in Athens in individual and team foil. Tiomkin faced Ben Aziza of Tunisia in the first round (the round of 64) of the 2004 Olympic individual foil event. The Tunisian scored the first 2 touches, but Timokin bounced back to win 15–10. He lost in the round of 32 against the number 1 seed, Andrea Cassara of Italy, 3–15.^[7]

Tiomkin was a member of the U.S foil team as well, along with Kellner. They beat Germany 45–43 in the quarterfinals. The U.S was brushed aside by a superior Chinese team 45–35 in the semis, but Timokin was the most impressive American. He beat Wang 7–3, lost 3–5 to Dong, and outscored Wu 7–5. The U.S. missed out on the bronze medal as they lost the decider 45–38 to Russia. Once again he was very solid as he outmaneuvered Moltchan 5–4 and beat Ganeev 7–4,^[8] before losing to Pozdniakov 3–5.

Maccabiah Games

Tiomkin, who is Jewish, fenced in the 16th Maccabiah Games in 2001, winning team silver medals in épée and foil.^[9]

Miscellaneous

• Tiomkin is a 2002 graduate of St. John's University, where he was a finance major.

• Tiomkin trains at the Fencers Club. His coaches are Simon Gershon and Mikhail Petin.

• Tiomkin has kept a journal noting every bout he fenced over the last 8 years, in practice and competition.

• He lives in New York City.

• Tiomkin also owns and runs a fencing club in Hewlett, New York called the Five Towns Fencers Club.

• Tiomkin is the son of Reuven and Rebecca Tiomkin.^[1]

• Enjoys cliff diving, skydiving, and pool diving.

See also

• List of select Jewish fencers

References

External links

• US Olympic Team bio
• US Fencing Media bio
• Jewish Virtual Library bio