Miles Chamley-Watson

Miles Chamley-Watson

Chamley-Watson at the 2023 Pan American Games
Personal information
Full name	Miles Cleveland Chamley-Watson
Born	(1989-12-03) December 3, 1989 (age 36) London, England
Height	6 ft 5 in (196 cm)
Weight	205 lb (93 kg)
Fencing career
Sport	Fencing
Country	United States
Weapon	Foil
Hand	Right-handed
Club	Los Angeles International Fencing Center
Head coach	Michael Itkin
FIE ranking	current ranking
Medal record Men's foil Representing the  United States Olympic Games 2016 Rio de Janeiro Team World Championships 2013 Budapest Individual 2019 Budapest Team 2013 Budapest Team 2017 Leipzig Team 2018 Wuxi Team Pan American Games 2011 Guadalajara Team 2015 Toronto Team 2023 Santiago Team 2023 Santiago Individual Pan American Championships 2008 Querétaro Team 2009 San Salvador Team 2010 San José Team 2011 Reno Team 2012 Cancún Team 2013 Cartagena Team 2014 San José Team 2015 Santiago Team 2017 Montreal Team 2018 Havana Team 2019 Toronto Team 2023 Lima Team 2024 Lima Team 2010 San José Individual 2009 San Salvador Individual 2013 Cartagena Individual 2016 Panama City Individual 2017 Montreal Individual

Miles Cleveland Chamley-Watson (born December 3, 1989) is a British-American right-handed foil fencer. He is a 13-time team Pan American champion, the 2019 team world champion, the 2013 individual world champion, a three-time Olympian, and the 2016 team Olympic bronze medalist.^[1]

Early life

Chamley-Watson was born on December 3, 1989, in North London, England, to an Anglo-African mother and an Anglo-Jamaican father.^[2] He lived in London for the first 10 years of his life before moving to the United States with his mother and stepfather, settling in New York City, while his biological father remained in the United Kingdom.^[3] After being expelled from several schools as a child due to behavioral problems related to his ADHD, his parents enrolled him in the Quest program at the Dwight School in Manhattan, designed to help students with learning differences. As part of the program, Chamley-Watson was required to participate in a sport and was given three options: tennis, badminton, or fencing. It was there that he began fencing, encouraged by one of his teachers, Ellen Grayson, whose husband, Eric, coached the fencing program. His teachers believed the sport would help him focus and serve as a good outlet for managing his hyperactivity.^[2][4][5]

After 9/11, when Chamley-Watson was 12, his stepfather decided to move their family to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He did not return to New York City until he was 21.^[3][6]

College career

Chamley-Watson earned a degree in sports management from Pennsylvania State University in 2012.

International career

Chamley-Watson entered the 2012 Summer Olympics as the No. 2 ranked foil fencer. His first round in the games he was presented a bye into the next round. In the second round, Chamley-Watson fenced Alaaeldin Abouelkassem, an opponent representing the country of Egypt, and was defeated 15 – 10. Abouelkassem went on to earn the silver medal in the event. In the team event, the United States beat France 45–39 in the quarterfinals, but lost 24–45 to Italy in the semi-final. In the bronze medal fight, the United States lost 27–45 to Germany.

At the 2013 World Championships, Chamley-Watson became the first male US fencer to win an individual gold medal at the World Championships.^[7]

At the 2016 Olympics, Chamley-Watson again lost in the second round, this time to Russia's Artur Akhmatkhuzin, 13–15.^[8] In the team event, the United States beat Egypt 45–27 in the quarterfinals, before losing 41–45 to Russia in the semi-finals. In the bronze medal match, the United States beat Italy 45–31.

At the 2024 Olympics, Chamley-Watson competed as the fourth member of the American team, only competing in the team event and not the individual event. In the team event, the United States beat Egypt 45–35 in the quarterfinals, but lost 38–45 to Italy in the semi-finals. In the bronze medal match, the United States lost 32–45 to France.

Signature move

During a match in his World Championships debut, Chamley-Watson wrapped his arm around the back of his head and struck his opponent in the chest with his foil. It was the first time a fencer had ever used this kind of behind-the-back flick in a competition.^[9] Unsure of its legality, the referee stopped the match to check the move on video replay. After it was determined to be legitimate, Chamley-Watson was awarded his own signature fencing move, eponymously named 'the Chamley-Watson'.^[10]

Medal record

Olympic Games

Year	Location	Event	Position
2016	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil	Team Men's Foil	3rd[11]

World Championship

Year	Location	Event	Position
2013	Budapest, Hungary	Individual Men's Foil	1st[12]
2013	Budapest, Hungary	Team Men's Foil	2nd[13]
2017	Leipzig, Germany	Team Men's Foil	2nd[14]
2018	Wuxi, China	Team Men's Foil	2nd[15]
2019	Budapest, Hungary	Team Men's Foil	1st[16]

Grand Prix

Date	Location	Event	Position
05/24/2010	St. Petersburg, Russia	Individual Men's Foil	3rd[17]
05/15/2015	Shanghai, China	Individual Men's Foil	1st[18]

World Cup

Date	Location	Event	Position
06/12/2009	Estado Vargas, Venezuela	Individual Men's Foil	3rd[19]
06/11/2010	Margarita Island, Venezuela	Individual Men's Foil	2nd[20]
02/05/2016	Bonn, Germany	Individual Men's Foil	2nd[21]
11/11/2016	Tokyo, Japan	Individual Men's Foil	1st[22]
09/03/2025	Cairo, Egypt	Team Men's Foil	2nd[23]

Pan American Championship

Year	Location	Event	Position
2008	Querétaro City, Mexico	Team Men's Foil	1st[24]
2009	San Salvador, El Salvador	Individual Men's Foil	3rd[25]
2009	San Salvador, El Salvador	Team Men's Foil	1st[26]
2010	San José, Costa Rica	Individual Men's Foil	2nd[27]
2010	San José, Costa Rica	Team Men's Foil	1st[28]
2011	Reno, Nevada	Team Men's Foil	1st[29]
2012	Cancún, Mexico	Team Men's Foil	1st[30]
2013	Cartagena, Colombia	Individual Men's Foil	3rd[31]
2013	Cartagena, Colombia	Team Men's Foil	1st[32]
2014	San José, Costa Rica	Team Men's Foil	1st[33]
2015	Santiago, Chile	Team Men's Foil	1st[34]
2016	Panama City, Panama	Individual Men's Foil	3rd[35]
2017	Montreal, Canada	Individual Men's Foil	3rd[36]
2017	Montreal, Canada	Team Men's Foil	1st[37]
2018	Havana, Cuba	Team Men's Foil	1st[38]
2019	Toronto, Canada	Team Men's Foil	1st[39]
2023	Lima, Peru	Team Men's Foil	1st[40]
2024	Lima, Peru	Team Men's Foil	1st[41]

Modeling

Growing up, Chamley-Watson was engaged in the fashion world by his mother, Elizabeth Chamley^[42] who was formerly a model in the UK. In addition to his interest in fashion, Chamley-Watson was motivated to begin modeling as a way to give the sport of fencing more exposure.^[43]

When Chamley-Watson was 17-years-old, he was scouted by Ford Models while walking on the street in New York City. However, he told the agency that he was going to college soon and couldn’t sign with them. A few years later, when Chamley-Watson redshirted his senior year of college to prepare for the Olympics, he took the opportunity to also begin modeling on the side.^[44] From there, Chamley-Watson’s modeling career grew.

In 2017, Chamley-Watson signed with IMG Models, and is still currently represented by them.^[45]

Sponsorships and partnerships

Chamley-Watson is currently sponsored by Red Bull, Nike, Richard Mille, and Cash App. He wears his sponsors’ logos on his fencing equipment—on his mask, glove, and jacket. Additionally, he regularly wears a Richard Mille watch and Nike fencing shoes and socks at competitions, as well as a Red Bull cap in between matches and on podiums.^[46]

Chamley-Watson is also sponsored by Absolute Fencing Gear, who supply all of the fencing equipment for his training and competitions.^[47]

As the most followed fencer in the world, Chamley-Watson frequently uses his social media to post about his sponsorships, and to also post about new and recurring partnerships. He is currently partnered with Mercedes-Benz, Dior, Michael Kors, Dita Eyewear, and DKNY.^[48]

Personal life

Chamley-Watson is of Jamaican, Irish, British, and Malawian descent.^[5]

See also

• List of Pennsylvania State University Olympians
• List of USFA Division I National Champions

References

External links

• Miles Chamley-Watson at the International Fencing Federation
• Miles Chamley-Watson at Olympics at Sports-Reference.com (archived)