Brendan Cusack
Encyclopedia
Brendan Cusack is a foil fencer
with the Irish
national team.
, New Jersey
, Cusack acquired Irish citizenship from his paternal grandfather, John Cusack, who was born and raised in Westport
, County Mayo
. He attended North Hunterdon High School
, where he won the state individual fencing title.
He began his fencing career in 2003 with the Clinton Fencing Club. In 2008, he finished second in the Irish National Senior Championship. In 2010, he placed 39th in his first Junior World Championship in Baku
, Azerbaijan
. Later that year, he won the Irish Open Championship in Dublin, and in February 2011 won the bronze medal at the Junior World Cup in Aix-en-Provence
, France
. In March 2011, he won the New Jersey State HS Fencing Championship for the first time, after finishing 4th, 3rd and 2nd in previous attempts. As a result of placings achieved in previous World Cup events in Luxembourg
, England
, Austria
, and Spain
, he moved into the top thirty five of the world rankings for under-20 fencers, and also qualified for the World Championships in Amman
, Jordan
, where he defeated six opponents and finished 30th of 114 entrants from 48 countries. In July 2011, Cusack became the first Irishman to finish in the top 16 of the European Fencing Championships
.
Fencing
Fencing, which is also known as modern fencing to distinguish it from historical fencing, is a family of combat sports using bladed weapons.Fencing is one of four sports which have been featured at every one of the modern Olympic Games...
with the Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
national team.
Background
Born in SummitSummit, New Jersey
Summit is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. At the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 21,457. Summit had the 16th-highest per capita income in the state as of the 2000 Census....
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, Cusack acquired Irish citizenship from his paternal grandfather, John Cusack, who was born and raised in Westport
Westport, County Mayo
Westport is a town in County Mayo, Ireland. It is situated on the west coast at the south-east corner of Clew Bay, an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean....
, County Mayo
County Mayo
County Mayo is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the village of Mayo, which is now generally known as Mayo Abbey. Mayo County Council is the local authority for the county. The population of the county is 130,552...
. He attended North Hunterdon High School
North Hunterdon High School
North Hunterdon High School is a four-year public high school located in Clinton Township, New Jersey, serving students from six municipalities in northern Hunterdon County as one of two high schools in the North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional High School District...
, where he won the state individual fencing title.
He began his fencing career in 2003 with the Clinton Fencing Club. In 2008, he finished second in the Irish National Senior Championship. In 2010, he placed 39th in his first Junior World Championship in Baku
Baku
Baku , sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal...
, Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
. Later that year, he won the Irish Open Championship in Dublin, and in February 2011 won the bronze medal at the Junior World Cup in Aix-en-Provence
Aix-en-Provence
Aix , or Aix-en-Provence to distinguish it from other cities built over hot springs, is a city-commune in southern France, some north of Marseille. It is in the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, in the département of Bouches-du-Rhône, of which it is a subprefecture. The population of Aix is...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. In March 2011, he won the New Jersey State HS Fencing Championship for the first time, after finishing 4th, 3rd and 2nd in previous attempts. As a result of placings achieved in previous World Cup events in Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, he moved into the top thirty five of the world rankings for under-20 fencers, and also qualified for the World Championships in Amman
Amman
Amman is the capital of Jordan. It is the country's political, cultural and commercial centre and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The Greater Amman area has a population of 2,842,629 as of 2010. The population of Amman is expected to jump from 2.8 million to almost...
, Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
, where he defeated six opponents and finished 30th of 114 entrants from 48 countries. In July 2011, Cusack became the first Irishman to finish in the top 16 of the European Fencing Championships
European Fencing Championships
The European Fencing Championships is an annual competition organized by the Confédération européenne d'escrime.- Host cities :*1981 : Foggia *1982 : Mödling *1983 : Lisbon *1991 : Vienna *1992 : Lisbon *1993 : Linz *1994 : Krakow *1995 : Keszthely...
.
Results
- 16th Senior European Championships, SheffieldSheffieldSheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, England (2011) - 3rd Junior World Cup, Aix-en-ProvenceAix-en-ProvenceAix , or Aix-en-Provence to distinguish it from other cities built over hot springs, is a city-commune in southern France, some north of Marseille. It is in the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, in the département of Bouches-du-Rhône, of which it is a subprefecture. The population of Aix is...
, France (2011) - 1st New Jersey State HS Individual Champion (2011)
- 1st Irish Open Championship, Dublin, Ireland (2010)
- 3rd Irish Senior National Championship, Dublin, Ireland (2009)
- 2nd Irish Senior National Championship, Dublin, Ireland (2008)
- 8th US Junior Olympics - Cadet, Albuquerque, USA (2008)
External links
- Federation Internationale d'Escrime
- Irish Fencing Federation
- United States Fencing Federation
- Brendan Cusack Web Site