Direct Elimination Podcast
The Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts.
Hosted by Ari Simmons and Stephen Ewart, two elite U.S. fencers chasing Olympic dreams, Direct Elimination goes beyond the strip to uncover the stories, ups and downs that shape athletes. Each episode brings you conversations with fencers, Olympians, and sports leaders who share the mental battles, personal growth, and cultural shifts behind their journeys.
This isn’t just a fencing podcast. It’s about resilience, mindset, and purpose. Whether you’re an athlete, a fan of Olympic sports, or simply someone chasing excellence in life, you’ll find stories here that resonate.
🎙️ Topics we explore:
The mindset of world-class athletes
Failure, resilience, and comeback stories
NCAA & Olympic fencing insights
The role of social media, culture, and community in sports
Why athletes do what they do — and what keeps them fighting
📌 Subscribe for episodes that deliver real talk, laughs, and lessons — straight from the fencing strip to your headphones.
Episodes
36 episodes
"I Will Go Through Fire for My Students" - Olympic Coach Igor Gantsevich on Coaching, Immigration & Dynamo Fencing Club | Direct Elimination Ep. 31
Igor Gantsevich took Dynamo Fencing Club and built it into 500+ members after injuries ended his career. His family is the immigrant story driving Canadian fencing forward.The Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts.In this epis...
3x Olympian Kat Holmes Used Game Theory to Win a World Championship Gold | Direct Elimination Ep. 30
3-time Olympian & World Champion Kat Holmes used game theory to win. She qualified for the Olympics while surviving medical school on zero sleep. This is an elite competitor. The Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts....
World Fencing League Debut: What Happens Next?
World Fencing League finally debuted with the most eyes on fencing since Paris. We break down every match, the $10K prizes, and why the tech disappointed.The Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts.In this episode, you'll discov...
World Fencing League: Publicity Stunt or Fencing's Future?
World Fencing League debuts, but is it fencing's future or just hype? We break down Miles Chambley-Watson, blade tracking tech & bold predictions.The Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts.In this episode, you'll discover:<...
Mohamed El-Sayed: The Story of Super Mo and His Rise to World Fencing Dominance | Direct Elimination Ep. 29
Mohamed El-Sayed has emerged from young underdog to the #1 Ranked Men's Epee Fencer in the World. He explains the "One Man Job" mindset that he credits this success to.The Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts.In this episode,...
Jackie Dubrovich: Olympic Gold, Then What? Life After Paris 2024 | Direct Elimination Ep. 28
Jackie Dubrovich won Olympic gold with USA fencing in Paris 2024 — then walked away. What happens when the dream is done?The Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts.In this episode, you'll discover:• How Jackie balanced a fu...
We Competed at the Astana Epee World Cup — Here's How it Went | Strategy, Upsets & Team USA Epee Rising
We competed at the Astana Epee World Cup in Kazakhstan — and Team USA beat Olympic champion Hungary. Full recap inside.The Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts.In this episode, you'll discover:• What it's actually like to...
Olympic Fencer Soren Thompson: Going From "Career-Ending" Injury to Self-Coaching Success | Direct Elimination Ep. 27
Olympic fencer Soren Thompson tore his hamstring so badly he could barely walk—then self-coached his way back to the 2012 Games. His unconventional philosophy changed how he approached elite performance.The Fencing Podcast of All Fencin...
Olympic Champion Fencer Romain Cannone on Winning Gold and his Sudden Departure from the Sport | Direct Elimination Ep. 26
Romain Cannone went from Olympic alternate to Olympic gold in Tokyo. He reveals the flow state & fencing culture that made it possible, and why he walked away at his peak. The untold American-French story.The Fencing Podcast of All F...
The Real Cost of Becoming an Elite Athlete: Dylan Nollner on Sacrifice & Mentality | Direct Elimination Ep. 25
What does it cost to become USA's #1 fencer? Dylan Nollner reveals the sacrifices, mental training, and why he walked away at his peak performance.The Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts.In this episode, you'll discover:...
Unplanned Episodes 2: We Finally Faced Each Other in Direct Elimination | Cincinnati NAC Recap & Youth Sports Parenting
Stephen and Ari finally faced each other in direct elimination at NAC Cincinnati. We break down the match, mental prep challenges, and youth sports parenting.The Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts.In this episode, you'll di...
Unplanned Episodes 1: The World Fencing League Can Change Everything...
The Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts.After an unplanned hiatus, Ari and Stephen return to Direct Elimination with a commitment to authenticity, consistency, and real conversations about fencing. From their original failed league ...
NCAA All-American Fencer Em Beihold on Becoming Someone She's Proud Of | Direct Elimination Ep. 24
Em Beihold went viral but struggled with deep depression. The NCAA All-American fencer turned full-time artist reveals how imposter syndrome follows you—even at the top.🎙️ EPISODE 23 | EM BEIHOLDThe Fencing Podcast of All Fencing ...
Fencing Injuries, Prehab & Physical Therapy for Athletes - Dr. Rachel Hey-Shipton | Direct Elimination Ep. 23
🎙️ EPISODE 23 | RACHEL HEY-SHIPTONThe Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts.What if the reason you're still hurt, still compensating, or still underperforming isn't a lack of training — but a lack of the *right* care? Dr. Rache...
Seth Kelsey: World Champion Fencer on Going All-In, Olympic Heartbreak, and Investing in the Process | Direct Elimination Ep. 22
🎙️ EPISODE 22 | SETH KELSEY INTERVIEWThe Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts.What does it really take to compete at the highest level of fencing? Seth Kelsey is the best Men's Epee Fencer in USA Fencing history. The 2012 Wor...
Building Freedom and the Leap of Faith that Changed Everything for Adam Metwally | Direct Elimination Ep. 21
🎙️ EPISODE 21 | ADAM METWALLY INTERVIEWThe Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts.What if the key to success isn't following the five-step plan, but ignoring all advice and creating an audacious version of yourself? Adam M...
Keeth Smart: From Olympic Heartbreak to Silver Medal Redemption | Direct Elimination Ep. 20
🎙️ EPISODE 20 | KEETH SMART INTERVIEWThe Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts.What does it take to come back from the most devastating loss of your career, with both parents gone, and claim Olympic redemption...
Michael Aufrichtig: From Accidental Fencer to Columbia University's Championship Coach | Direct Elimination Ep. 19
🎙️ EPISODE 19 | MICHAEL AUFRICHTIGThe Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts.What if the sport you stumbled into by accident became your life's calling? Columbia University head fencing coach Michael Aufrichtig went from choosi...
From NFL to Life After: Asmar Bilal on Identity, Purpose & Transition Out of Sport | Direct Elimination Ep. 18
🎙️ EPISODE 18 – ASMAR BILALThe Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts.In our first episode featuring a non-fencing athlete, former Notre Dame and NFL linebacker Asmar Bilal joins Direct Elimination to share his profound journey f...
Italian Fencing Olympian Federico Vismara: Give Everything You Have | Direct Elimination Ep. 17
🎙️ EPISODE 17 – FEDERICO VISMARAThe Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts.Join us for an intimate conversation with Federico Vismara, one of Italy's top epee fencers from 2019-2024, having won many international medals and ...
Olympic Fencer Khalil Thompson Opens Up About Mental Health Crisis & Finding Identity | Direct Elimination Ep. 16
🎙️ EPISODE 16 – KHALIL THOMPSON INTERVIEWThe Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts.Olympic fencer Khalil Thompson shares his raw, unfiltered journey from struggling with depression and living in his sister's shadow to fin...
Olympic Silver Medalist Daryl Homer: From Podiums to Transcending the Sport | Direct Elimination Ep. 15
🎙️ EPISODE 15 -- DARYL HOMER INTERVIEWThe Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts.Olympic silver medalist Daryl Homer reveals the untold story behind his rise from a curious five-year-old in the Bronx to Team USA's fencing...
Fencing World Champion Sam Imrek: Unorthodox Style and Mental Resilience | Direct Elimination Ep. 14
🎙️ EPISODE 14 -- SAM IMREK INTERVIEWThe Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts.Team USA fencer Sam Imrek's journey from Star Wars-obsessed kid to elite athlete proves that unconventional paths often lead to extraordinary ...
Olympic Fencing Champion Lauren Scruggs: Breaking Barriers & Balancing Life | Direct Elimination Ep. 13
🎙️ EPISODE 13 -- LAUREN SCRUGGS INTERVIEWThe Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts.Join Ari Simmons and Stephen Ewart for an inspiring conversation with Lauren Scruggs, the first Black American woman ...
Grant Williams on Fencing, Focus & the Champion's Mindset | Direct Elimination Ep. 12
🎙️ EPISODE 12 – GRANT WILLIAMS INTERVIEWThe Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts.In this episode of Direct Elimination, hosts Ari Simmons and Stephen Ewart sit down with Grant Williams — a U...