Ramón Fonst facts for kids
Ramón Fonst Segundo (born July 31, 1883 – died September 9, 1959) was an amazing fencer from Cuba. He competed in the early 1900s and is known as one of the best fencers in the world, both on his own and as part of a team. Ramón was born and passed away in Havana, Cuba.
Quick facts for kids Olympic medal record |
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|---|---|---|
| Men's fencing | ||
Representing  Cuba |
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| Gold | 1900 Paris | épée |
| Gold | 1904 St. Louis | foil |
| Gold | 1904 St. Louis | épée |
| Silver | 1900 Paris | Amateurs-masters épée |
Representing a  Mixed team |
||
| Gold | 1904 St. Louis | Team foil |
Contents
Ramón Fonst's Early Life and Training
Even though Fonst was born in Cuba, he spent most of his younger years in France. This is where he learned how to fence. He became very skilled at the sport.
Competing at the 1900 Paris Olympics
When he was just 16 years old, Ramón Fonst entered the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris. He competed in the Men's épée event. This competition had 101 fencers from 10 different countries.
Winning Gold in Paris
In his first round, Fonst beat five fencers from France. He moved on to the next round. He kept doing well and made it to the semi-finals. Finally, he qualified for the big final match.
In the final, Fonst faced seven French fencers and one fencer from Argentina. Even though the odds were against him, Fonst won four out of his six matches. This amazing win earned him the gold medal! He became the very first Cuban and the first Latin American to win an Olympic medal.
A few days after his gold medal win, Fonst competed again. This time, it was in the Men's amateurs-masters épée event. This special event matched the top four amateur fencers against the top four professional fencers. Fonst won six out of his seven matches. He earned a silver medal, only losing to the French professional fencer Albert Ayat.
Success at the 1904 St. Louis Olympics
Four years later, Fonst traveled to St. Louis, Missouri, for the 1904 Summer Olympics. In just two days, he won three more gold medals! He successfully defended his Olympic title in the Men's épée event.
He also won the Men's foil title. Plus, he was part of a Mixed team that won the Men's team foil event. His teammates were fellow Cuban Manuel Díaz and American Albertson Van Zo Post.
Later Olympic and Sports Career
Cuba did not compete in the Summer Olympics again until 1924. That year, the Games were once more held in Paris, France. By then, Fonst was 40 years old. He competed in the Men's épée event again. This time, he reached the semi-finals. He also competed in the Men's team épée, but his team was knocked out in the quarter-finals.
Fonst also competed in three Central American and Caribbean Games. These were in 1926, 1930, and 1938. He won six more gold medals at these games!
Life After Fencing
After his amazing career as a fencer, Ramón Fonst took on new roles. He became the president of the National Olympic Committee for Cuba. He also worked as an adviser for the Department of Physical Education and Sports. He continued to serve in this role until he passed away in 1959 at 76 years old.
See also
In Spanish: Ramón Fonst para niños
