Grant Williams on Fencing, Focus & the Champion's Mindset | Direct Elimination Ep. 12

🎙️ EPISODE 12 – GRANT WILLIAMS INTERVIEW

The 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.S. Men’s Épée National Team fencer, 2x Olympic alternate, and full-time consultant — to talk about balance, commitment, and chasing purpose inside and outside of sport.

Grant shares what it means to be all in: from early days fencing in Seattle to training and working in New York City, to handling the emotional highs and lows of international competition while building a demanding professional career.

You’ll hear:

• How he started fencing and what early inspiration looked like
• What it was like moving to NYC and adjusting to elite training
• The all-in moment that changed his mindset
• SEGMENT — En Garde / The Why Behind the Win: what fuels him now
• Lessons from being a Paris Olympics alternate — turning setback into motivation
• Five-year dreams: looking back and forward
• Balancing consulting work with a fencing career
• SEGMENT — One-Light Answers (rapid fire Q&A)
• Closing thoughts & Prieur thanks

This episode is about control, composure, and consistency — the qualities that turn good fencers into great athletes and professionals.

⏱ Timestamps

00:00:00 – Intro and welcome
 00:01:12 – Who are you? Where are you from? How did you start fencing?
 00:07:45 – Moving to New York City — life and training adjustments
 00:13:58 – The all-in moment: “You can’t halfway commit to fencing.”
 00:20:21 – SEGMENT: En Garde / The Why Behind the Win
 00:28:47 – Paris Olympics alternate experience
 00:36:04 – Five years ago vs five years from now
 00:43:59 – Balancing full-time consulting and fencing
 00:52:13 – On structure, recovery, and mental balance
 00:59:50 – SEGMENT: One-Light Answers
 01:04:32 – Closing & Prieur partnership appreciation

💬  Quotes

• “Moving to New York forced me to grow up fast — in sport, and in life.” 
• “Being an alternate wasn’t failure — it was the reminder that you’re still right there.” 
• “Five years ago, my goal was just to make the team. Now it’s to redefine what’s possible while working full-time.”

This is a podcast about passion. Fencing For A Purpose is a non-profit organization founded by 3 young fencers to share their passion for fencing with communities that would otherwise be underserved by the sport. The organization has engaged many high school fencers across the country with the intent of giving back and paying it forward, with officers all over the country. They run camps for underrepresented community members, tutor international fencers in English, raise money and donate gear in order to support grassroots clubs that need funds in order to provide a better experience for their fencers. 

Website: https://fencingforapurpose.org/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fencingforapurpose/
GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/fencing-for-a-purpose

Thank you for listening!

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