Three Local Houston Fencers (including Woodlands Resident Simon Lionzyansky) Won Gold in the Junior Mens Epee World Championship

THE WOODLANDS, TX -- The USA won GOLD at the Junior World Championships in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil yesterday, April 9, 2026. Three local Houston fencers were on the four-man team representing the USA where teams from 45 countries competed for the title. This is the first time in US history that the Junior Men’s Epee Team has won gold.

Only the top four Junior fencers in the country are chosen to represent the USA. The three Houston natives are also from the same fencing club, Alliance Fencing Academy.

The World Championships are the highest level of international competition for Juniors (under 20 years old). Fencers chosen to represent the USA are selected based on cumulative points scored at national and international tournaments over the course of the fencing season from July 2025 through February 2026.

The competitors representing the USA from Alliance Fencing Academy were
• Elijah Imrek
• Hometown: Missouri City, Texas
• College: University of Notre Dame

• Simon Val Lioznyansky
• Hometown: The Woodlands, Texas
• College: University of Pennsylvania

• James Sennewald
• Hometown: Houston, Texas
• College: University of Notre Dame

Alliance now has nine World Champions in the cadet, junior, and senior levels. One of Alliance’s fencing coaches, Dorian Jimenez, coached the athletes at the competition. Jimenez learned fencing in Cuba and joined Alliance Fencing Academy in 2016.

Alliance Fencing Academy has grown to over 350 students, making it one of the largest fencing clubs in the country. Alliance has three locations - one in downtown Houston, one in The Woodlands and one in Katy.