Noah Hanssen

Started: He began training in wheelchair fencing in 2017. (USA Fencing Facebook page, 09 Sep 2022) Reason: "Before I was injured, I always enjoyed playing with swords. It's something that I did with my siblings, cousins. So, I was always interested in trying any kind of the sword-related sports. Maybe when I was around 16, I had tried to join sport fencing, and the club that was closest to me wasn't particularly interested in working with wheelchairs. So, I went and found something called Historical European Martial Arts [HEMA]. It's historic fencing and a much more niche sport. It was at a tournament for HEMA that I met one of the referees who was in a wheelchair, and who gave me his card and let me know that he would try to find me a [wheelchair fencing] coach if that was something that I wanted to pursue." (USA Fencing Facebook page, 09 Sep 2022) Ambition: To compete at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (yahoo.com, 09 Jul 2024) Additional Info: FURTHER EDUCATION After graduating with a bachelor's degree in public policy from the University of Maryland in 2024, he began studying for a master's degree in the same subject at the same university. (LinkedIn profile, 31 May 2024)