Benjamin Bratton
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men's fencing | ||
Representing  United States
|
||
| World Championships | ||
 |
2012 Kiev | Team épée |
 |
2010 Paris | Team épée |
| Pan American Championships | ||
|
2015 Toronto | Team épée |
Ben Bratton (born in Queens, New York) is a three-time fencing all-American and a member of the United States fencing team. As a national team member, he competed in the 2006 World Fencing Championships in Turin, Italy; 2009 World Fencing Championships in Antalya, Turkey, 2010 World Fencing Championships in Paris, and the 2012 World Fencing Championships in Kiev.
Bratton was born in Queens, New York and is the oldest child of Deborah Hanson and Dwight Bratton. With both parents constantly working to support Benjamin and his two sisters, a young Bratton was often pushed by his mother into sports, hoping to keep him away from the trouble and distractions of an inner city neighborhood.
As coworkers, Deborah became acquainted with American Saber Champion and 1984 Olympic Bronze medalist Peter Westbrook. Having recently created the Peter Westbrook Foundation, Westbrook invited Benjamin to participate in his Saturday Fencing Program to be taught by himself and other fencing Olympians. Benjamin gravitated to the sport almost instantly.
"I was immediately intoxicated by the sport and was amazed by the way fencers moved and looked on the strip. It was an incredible experience to be taught by people who went to the Olympic games. At that time, a goal like that wasn't even fathomable for me. I just mimicked the teachers I would see fencing and I would practice footwork drills that they gave me in the basement of my house. Before time I was had become one of the strongest in my class."
Bratton quickly began to show aptitude for the fast paced nature of the sport and with his passion already becoming evident, his instructors began to take notice. After several years of consistently performing in the Saturday program, Bratton would be invited to join the PWF Elite Athlete Scholarship program. Still in existence, the program boasts creating some of the country’s most decorated fencers including: Ahki Spencer-el, Ivan Lee, as well as brother sister duo Keeth and Erinn Smart.
...
Wikipedia