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Peter Westbrook

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Peter Jonathan Westbrook
Personal information
Born(1952-04-16)April 16, 1952
St. Louis, Missouri U.S.
DiedNovember 29, 2024(2024-11-29) (aged 72)
Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
Height5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
SpouseSusann Miles-Westbrook
Sport
CountryUnited States
SportFencing
Medal record
Men's fencing
Representing  United States
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 1984 Los Angeles Individual sabre
Pan American Games
Gold medal – first place 1983 Caracas Individual sabre
Gold medal – first place 1995 Mar del Plata Individual sabre
Gold medal – first place 1995 Mar del Plata Team sabre
Silver medal – second place 1975 Mexico City Team sabre
Silver medal – second place 1979 San Juan Individual sabre
Silver medal – second place 1979 San Juan Team sabre
Silver medal – second place 1983 Caracas Team sabre
Silver medal – second place 1987 Indianapolis Individual sabre
Silver medal – second place 1987 Indianapolis Team sabre
Bronze medal – third place 1975 Mexico City Individual sabre

Peter Jonathan Westbrook (April 16, 1952 – November 29, 2024) was an American saber fencer. He was a 13-time national and 3-time Pan American Games saber champion, and an Olympic bronze medalist. He was also the founder of the Peter Westbrook Foundation (PWF), a 501(c)(3) non-profit that uses fencing as a vehicle to help young people from under-served New York City communities develop life and academic skills.

Early life and education

Westbrook's father, Ulysses, was an American G.I. stationed in Japan during the Korean War when he met Mariko, a Japanese woman. They married, and soon after they moved to the United States, eventually settling in Newark, New Jersey, where Peter and his younger sister Vivian were born.[1]

Peter was four when his father left, leaving his mother to raise the family. Raising the children Catholic, Mariko bartered with priests at the local parochial school (St. Peters/Queen of Angels) in exchange for schooling for Peter and Vivian.[2]

Fencing career

Early years

Westbrook's fencing career started at Essex Catholic High School in Newark. He trained under Dr. Samuel D'Ambola, a medical doctor and the founder of the school’s fencing program.

College

Westbrook attended New York University, where he received a B.S. in Marketing. He received a full fencing scholarship, and trained under Hugo Castello, the multi-championship-winning fencing coach.

In 1972, he began training with Csaba Elthes, a Hungarian saber coach at the New York Fencers Club, but he later left. In 1973, he won the NCAA saber championship. Recognizing that his short time with Csaba had been beneficial, Westbrook returned to Csaba.[citation needed]

In 1974, as a college senior, Westbrook placed first at the Amateur Fencers League of America's (now known as USA Fencing) National Championships, beating among others Alex Orban and Paul Apostol.

National championships

Westbrook won the U.S. National Men's Sabre Championship 13 times (1974–75, 1979–86, 1988–89, and 1995). Winning the Nationals made him an internationally recognized fencer.

Pan American Games

In 1975, Westbrook won a team silver medal and an individual bronze medal at the Pan American Games in Mexico City. In 1979, he won a team silver medal. These wins were soon accompanied by his 1983 individual gold medal and team silver medal. From 1987 to 1995, Westbrook won additional silver medals for individual performance (1987), two silver medals for team performance (1987, 1991), and gold medals for individual and team performances (1995).

Olympics

In 1976, Westbrook competed in his first Olympic Games; thereafter, he was part of every Team USA Olympic fencing team through 1996.[3] During pre-competition sparring with a European fencer at the 1976 Olympics, Westbrook tore two ligaments. He ended the competition ranked 13th among the world's saber fencers.

At the 1984 Olympics, Westbrook won a bronze medal, and was the first American to win a fencing medal since 1960.[4]

Westbrook served as flag bearer for the closing ceremonies of the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain.[5]

Peter Westbrook Foundation

The PWF Elite Athlete Program

Following his competitive fencing career, Westbrook founded the Peter Westbrook Foundation (PWF), a non-profit that uses fencing as a vehicle to help young people from under-served New York City communities develop life and academic skills.[5][6][7] Notable fencers trained by the foundation who have represented the United States at the Olympics include Akhi Spencer-El, Benjamin Bratton, Ibtihaj Muhammad, Daryl Homer, Curtis McDowald, Khalil Thompson, and Lauren Scruggs, who won two medals in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

In 2000, the foundation was represented internationally for the first time when Ahki Spencer-el, Keeth Smart, and Keeth Smart's sister Erinn Smart qualified for the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia. In 2004 four of the foundation’s fencers, Keeth Smart, Erinn Smart, Kamara James, and Ivan Lee represented the United States in the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. In 2008, Keeth Smart and Erinn Smart represented the United States in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, and both returned home with a silver medal.

Ivan Lee won 2001, 2003, 2005, 2006, and 2008 saber U.S. national championships. Keeth Smart won the 2002 and 2004 national saber championship titles and was ranked # 1 in the world in saber in 2003 (the first-ever American to hold this rank). Erinn Smart won the 1998, 2002, 2004, 2007, and 2008 women's foil national championships, and Kamara James was ranked # 1 in the world in women's épée in 2004.[citation needed]

The PWF Academic Enrichment Program

The Peter Westbrook Foundation Academic Enrichment Program provides one-on-one tutorial support, literacy assistance, SAT, PSAT, and specialized high school exam preparation, along with group workshops and productivity seminars on core academic skills, time management, motivational techniques, and homework habits. From October through June, students and tutors meet for 6 to 12 hours each month and students receive extra academic support.

Writing

In 1997, Westbrook published his memoir, Harnessing Anger: The Way of an American Fencer, in which he described turning his childhood experiences into a drive to succeed at his sport, and the inception of the Peter Westbrook Foundation.[4]

In Harnessing Anger, Westbrook told how he came to be the first African American to win a national gold title in sabre fencing, along with his reaching international levels of success. Westbrook described how as the son of an African-American father and a Japanese mother, he was aided by his mother alone in poverty in a Newark ghetto. Becoming a fencer at an early age gave him the confidence and the discipline to use an ancient martial art to his advantage, both in swordplay and when facing the vicissitudes of daily life in the inner city.

Harnessing Anger: The Way of an American Fencer (1997) was nominated by the American Library Association for its Book of the Year Award.

Death

Westbrook died from liver cancer at a hospital in Manhattan, New York, on November 29, 2024, at the age of 72.[8][9]

Halls of Fame

Westbrook was inducted into the New York University Athletics Hall of Fame in 1985.[10] He was inducted into the USFA Hall of Fame in 1996. He was also inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame of New Jersey in 2002. In 2021, he was inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame.[11]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Peter Westbrook, Sabre Fencer born". African American Registry. Retrieved November 10, 2024.
  2. ^ Westbrook, Peter (1998). Harnessing anger : the inner discipline of athletic excellence. Tej Hazarika. New York: Seven Stories Press. ISBN 1-888363-67-3. OCLC 40264723.
  3. ^ "Peter Jonathan Westbrook". Olympics.
  4. ^ a b "Peter Westbrook | Biography, Titles, & Facts | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved November 8, 2024.
  5. ^ a b "Crawford Prize | 2018 - Peter Westbrook | 2018 - Peter Westbrook". www.nationalrecreationfoundation.org. Retrieved November 10, 2024.
  6. ^ "Olympics Statistics: Peter Westbrook". databaseolympics.com. Archived from the original on October 19, 2012. Retrieved April 16, 2011.
  7. ^ "Peter Westbrook Olympic Results". sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020. Retrieved April 16, 2011.
  8. ^ Peter, Josh. "Peter Westbrook, first Black American fencer to win Olympic medal, dies at 72". USA TODAY. Retrieved November 30, 2024.
  9. ^ Longman, Jeré (December 1, 2024). "Peter Westbrook, Pathbreaking Olympic Fencer, Dies at 72". The New York Times. Retrieved December 1, 2024.
  10. ^ "New York University". Nyu.edu. March 17, 2010. Archived from the original on May 9, 2008. Retrieved March 22, 2010.
  11. ^ Dr. Robert Goldman (March 13, 2021). "2021 International Sports Hall of Fame Inductees". www.sportshof.org. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
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