Peter Westbrook facts for kids
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| Born | 16 April 1952 Newark, New Jersey, U.S. |
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| Died | November 29, 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Sport | Fencing | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Peter Jonathan Westbrook (April 16, 1952 – November 29, 2024) was an American fencer. He was a national and Pan American Games champion in sabre fencing. Peter also won an Olympic bronze medal.
He started the Peter Westbrook Foundation (PWF). This non-profit group helps young people from less wealthy areas of New York City. It uses fencing to teach them important life and school skills.
Contents
Peter Westbrook's Early Life and School
Peter Westbrook's father, Ulysses, was a soldier in Japan. There he met Mariko, Peter's mother. They got married and moved to the United States. They settled in Newark, New Jersey, where Peter and his sister Vivian were born.
When Peter was four, his father left. His mother, Mariko, raised the family by herself. She made deals with priests at a local Catholic school. This way, Peter and Vivian could go to school.
Peter later went to New York University. He earned a degree in Marketing there.
Peter Westbrook's Fencing Journey
Starting Fencing in High School
Peter Westbrook began his fencing career at Essex Catholic High School. He learned from Dr. Samuel D'ambola. Dr. D'ambola was a medical doctor who started the fencing program at the school.
College Fencing Success
Peter received a full scholarship for fencing at New York University. He trained with Hugo Castello, a coach who had won many championships.
In 1972, he started training with Csaba Elthes. Csaba was a Hungarian sabre fencer at the New York Fencers Club. Peter left for a short time but returned in 1973. That year, he won the NCAA sabre championship. The NCAA is a big college sports organization.
In 1974, while still in college, Peter won the Amateur Fencers League of America's National Championships. This win showed he could beat top fencers.
National Fencing Championships
Peter Westbrook won the U.S. National Men's Sabre Championship 13 times. These wins happened between 1974 and 1995. Winning these national titles made him famous around the world in fencing.
Pan American Games Medals
Peter won many medals at the Pan American Games. In 1975, he earned a silver team medal and a bronze individual medal in Mexico City. He won another silver team medal in 1979.
In 1983, he won a gold individual medal and a silver team medal. From 1987 to 1995, he added more medals. These included silver medals for individual and team events. He also won gold medals for individual and team events in 1995.
Olympic Fencing Achievements
Peter Westbrook went to his first Olympic Games in 1976. He was part of every U.S. Olympic fencing team until 1996. At the 1976 Olympics, he hurt his leg before the competition. Even so, he finished 13th among the world's best sabre fencers.
At the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, Peter won a bronze medal. He was the first American to win an Olympic fencing medal since 1960.
Peter was chosen to carry the flag for the U.S. team. This was during the closing ceremonies of the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain.
The Peter Westbrook Foundation (PWF) Elite Athlete Program
In 2000, Peter's foundation helped fencers compete internationally. Ahki Spencer-el, Keeth Smart, and Erinn Smart (Keeth's sister) went to the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia.
In 2004, four of their students represented the U.S. at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. These were Keeth Smart, Erinn Smart, Kamara James, and Ivan Lee. In 2008, Keeth and Erinn Smart went to the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. Both won silver medals.
Many fencers from the foundation achieved great success. Ivan Lee won U.S. national sabre championships multiple times. Keeth Smart won national titles and was ranked #1 in the world in 2003. This was a first for an American fencer. Erinn Smart won women's foil national championships several times. Kamara James was ranked #1 in the world in women's épée in 2004.
Other famous fencers trained by the foundation include Akhi Spencer-El, Benjamin Bratton, Ibtihaj Muhammad, and Curtis McDowald.
The PWF Academic Enrichment Program
The foundation also has an Academic Enrichment Program. This program helps students with their schoolwork. It offers one-on-one tutoring and help with reading. It also prepares students for important tests like the SAT and PSAT.
Students and tutors meet regularly from October to June. They get extra help with school skills, managing their time, and homework habits.
Peter Westbrook's Book
In 1997, Peter Westbrook wrote a book about his life. It is called Harnessing Anger: The Way of an American Fencer. In the book, he shares how he used his childhood experiences to succeed in fencing. He also talks about how he started the Peter Westbrook Foundation.
In Harnessing Anger, Peter explains how he became the first African American to win a national gold title in sabre fencing. He also describes reaching international success. Peter grew up in poverty in Newark with only his mother. He learned that fencing gave him confidence and discipline. It helped him both in the sport and in facing life's challenges.
The American Library Association nominated his book for its Book of the Year Award.
Awards and Honors
Peter Westbrook received many honors for his achievements.
- In 1985, he was inducted into the New York University Athletics Hall of Fame.
- He joined the USFA Hall of Fame in 1996.
- In 2002, he was inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame of New Jersey.
- In 2021, he was inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame.
See also
In Spanish: Peter Westbrook para niños
- List of American sabre fencers
- List of USFA Division I National Champions
