Orginially published on North East Ohio Parent – March 27th, 2024
Pepper Pike resident Joseph Guth, an eighth grader at Maumee, Ohio-based Ohio Virtual Academy (OHVA), recently won a bronze medal at the Paris Foil, the largest international fencing competition for children under 14.
Over two days of competition in Paris, he won three rounds of qualifying matches before earning a spot in a bracket with the top 64 fencers. After advancing out of a direct-elimination bracket, he faced off against seven other top fencers before finishing third.
Guth has been fencing since age 9 and enrolled at OHVA to learn in a virtual environment that allows him to pursue fencing and dedicate significant time to practicing and competing in tournaments. The virtual tuition-free school offers him the chance to learn at his own pace from anywhere in the world as he participates in tournaments.
In July, Guth plans to compete in the USA Fencing National Championship, which will be held in Columbus this year.
“We are proud to see Joseph’s many hours of hard work pay off through this international recognition,” said Dr. Kristin Stewart, head of school at OHVA. “Our virtual learning environment gives athletes like Joseph the chance to master their passion and go on the road to prove their skills at competitions.”
To learn more about Ohio Virtual Academy, please visit https://ohva.k12.com.
