Dan Kellner
Encyclopedia
Daniel "Dan" Kellner (b April 16, 1976, in Livingston, New Jersey
) is an American foil
fencer
.
Ted Li.”
Kellner attended the Pingry School
('94).
, where he graduated in 1998 with a degree in American History, Kellner was a 4-time All-American and 3-time All-Ivy League
First Team Selection (1995-97-98).
He was the NCAA Fencer of the Year in 1998.
A year later, he walked back into the club and his love for the sport seized him again. He came back. He got back in shape, stopped smoking, and earned his way back to win a gold medal
at the 2003 Pan American Games
, and his first national championship in 2004.
He won the foil competition at the U.S. fencing national championships in 2004. Kellner rallied from a 0–6 and 1–7 deficit in his semifinal against Jed Dupree, countered with 7 straight touches, and took the lead at 8–7. The bout went to 14–14 before Kellner won it. In the championship bout, Kellner beat Jonathan Tiomkin
15–6.
He finished 2nd in 1997, 1998, and 2000.
he came in 16th, and the U.S. team came in 4th.
Kellner, seeded 26th, won his first bout, upsetting # 7 seed Cedric Gohy of Belgium, 15–12. His next bout, in the round of 16, was against Richard Kruse of Great Britain. In a very close match, in which he had been leading 14–12, Kellner lost 15–14.
. His international ranking slipped from No. 11 to 12 as a result. He led the U.S. delegation's march into the Ramat Gan stadium alongside legendary swimmers Mark Spitz
and Lenny Krayzelburg
.
Kellner won the silver medal at the 2005 Maccabiah Games
, losing to Israel
's Tomer Or 15–9.
in Canada.
He also won gold medals, both team and individual, at the 2003 Pan American Games
. The team trailed 40–30 entering the last match, which Kellner won 15–4, setting off a celebration.
Teammate Jon Tiomkin said: “There are no words to describe it. No words at all. That was absolutely incredible. I've never seen a comeback like that in my life at such a high level competition and with such high stakes.”
He is a 7-time world championship
team member.
Livingston, New Jersey
Livingston is a township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 29,366.Livingston was incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 5, 1813, from portions of Caldwell Township and Springfield...
) is an American foil
Foil (fencing)
A foil is a type of weapon used in fencing. It is the most common weapon in terms of usage in competition, and is usually the choice for elementary classes for fencing in general.- Components:...
fencer
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...
.
Early life
“When I was 13, I had a video game called ‘Summer Games,’ with all the Olympic Sports on it, even fencing," said Kellner. "I couldn’t make the fencing game work very well. So, I asked my mother about fencing, and she said that my high school offered it, and that I should go and see the coach. The coach turned out to be Olympic ArmorerArmorer
An armourer or armorer is a member of a military or police force who maintains and repairs small arms and weapons systems, with some duties resembling those of a civilian gunsmith....
Ted Li.”
Kellner attended the Pingry School
Pingry School
The Pingry School is a coeducational, independent, college preparatory country day school in New Jersey, with a Lower School campus in the Short Hills neighborhood of Millburn, and a Middle and Upper School campus in Martinsville. The school was founded in 1861 by Dr. John F. Pingry.Pingry's...
('94).
College
Fencing for Columbia UniversityColumbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, where he graduated in 1998 with a degree in American History, Kellner was a 4-time All-American and 3-time All-Ivy League
Ivy League
The Ivy League is an athletic conference comprising eight private institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States. The conference name is also commonly used to refer to those eight schools as a group...
First Team Selection (1995-97-98).
He was the NCAA Fencer of the Year in 1998.
Quitting and comeback
After failing to make the 2000 Olympic team, Kellner retired from fencing. He stopped working out, gained weight (at one point, weighing 205 pounds), and started smoking.A year later, he walked back into the club and his love for the sport seized him again. He came back. He got back in shape, stopped smoking, and earned his way back to win a gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
at the 2003 Pan American Games
2003 Pan American Games
The 14th Pan American Games were held in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, from 1 to 17 August 2003. The successful bid for the games was made in the mid-1990s, when this country had one of the highest growth rates in Latin America....
, and his first national championship in 2004.
US Nationals
Kellner has been ranked No. 1 in men’s foil in the U.S.He won the foil competition at the U.S. fencing national championships in 2004. Kellner rallied from a 0–6 and 1–7 deficit in his semifinal against Jed Dupree, countered with 7 straight touches, and took the lead at 8–7. The bout went to 14–14 before Kellner won it. In the championship bout, Kellner beat Jonathan Tiomkin
Jonathan Tiomkin
Jonathan Tiomkin is an American foil fencer.Tiomkin played competitive youth tennis before trying fencing.-High School:...
15–6.
He finished 2nd in 1997, 1998, and 2000.
Olympics
In the Olympics in AthensAthens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
he came in 16th, and the U.S. team came in 4th.
Kellner, seeded 26th, won his first bout, upsetting # 7 seed Cedric Gohy of Belgium, 15–12. His next bout, in the round of 16, was against Richard Kruse of Great Britain. In a very close match, in which he had been leading 14–12, Kellner lost 15–14.
Maccabiah Games
Kellner, who is Jewish, decided to skip the 2005 World Cup in Vancouver so he could participate in the Maccabiah GamesMaccabiah Games
The Maccabiah is an international Jewish athletic event similar to the Olympics held in Israel every four years under the auspices of the Maccabi Federation, affiliated with the Maccabi World Union. The Maccabiah Games is the third largest international sports competition in the world...
. His international ranking slipped from No. 11 to 12 as a result. He led the U.S. delegation's march into the Ramat Gan stadium alongside legendary swimmers Mark Spitz
Mark Spitz
Mark Andrew Spitz is a retired American swimmer. He won seven gold medals at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games, an achievement only surpassed by Michael Phelps who won eight golds at the 2008 Olympics....
and Lenny Krayzelburg
Lenny Krayzelburg
Lenny Krayzelburg is an American backstroke swimmer, and Olympic gold medalist and former world record holder. He swam in the 2000 and 2004 Olympics. He won a total of 4 Olympic gold medals....
.
Kellner won the silver medal at the 2005 Maccabiah Games
Maccabiah Games
The Maccabiah is an international Jewish athletic event similar to the Olympics held in Israel every four years under the auspices of the Maccabi Federation, affiliated with the Maccabi World Union. The Maccabiah Games is the third largest international sports competition in the world...
, losing to Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
's Tomer Or 15–9.
Pan American Games
Kellner won a team silver medal at the 1999 Pan American Games1999 Pan American Games
The 1999 Pan American Games, officially the XIII Pan American Games or the 13th Pan American Games, was a major international multi-sport event that was held from July 23-August 8, 1999 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Approximately 5,000 athletes from 42 nations participated at the games. The 1999...
in Canada.
He also won gold medals, both team and individual, at the 2003 Pan American Games
2003 Pan American Games
The 14th Pan American Games were held in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, from 1 to 17 August 2003. The successful bid for the games was made in the mid-1990s, when this country had one of the highest growth rates in Latin America....
. The team trailed 40–30 entering the last match, which Kellner won 15–4, setting off a celebration.
Teammate Jon Tiomkin said: “There are no words to describe it. No words at all. That was absolutely incredible. I've never seen a comeback like that in my life at such a high level competition and with such high stakes.”
US Team Captain
He was the captain of the U.S. men’s foil National Team squad.He is a 7-time world championship
World championship
A world championship is the top achievement for any sport or contest. The title is usually awarded by contests, ranking systems, stature, ability, etc. This determines the best nation, team, individual in the world in a particular field. Certain sports do not have a world championship, instead...
team member.
Miscellaneous
- He used to fence at the Fencers ClubFencers ClubThe Fencers Club is the oldest continuously existing organization in the Western Hemisphere dedicated exclusively to teaching and promoting the sport of fencing...
in New York City.
- He’s been wearing the same T-shirt in the first round of every tournament for more than 10 years.
- A graphic designerGraphic designerA graphic designer is a professional within the graphic design and graphic arts industry who assembles together images, typography or motion graphics to create a piece of design. A graphic designer creates the graphics primarily for published, printed or electronic media, such as brochures and...
by trade, he was nominated for a Daytime Emmy AwardEmmy AwardAn Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
(Achievement in Main Title Design) in 2001 and 2002 for his work on the Rosie O’Donnell Show.
- He is a partner at 42 Solutions, LLC, a full service-web development company.
- He used to coach at the Brooklyn Fencing Center in BrooklynBrooklynBrooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
.
- He resides in Brooklyn,NY with his wife, Sasha.
- He now owns and coaches at the Brooklyn Bridge Fencing Club.
- He runs a blog called Sofa-Employed (has not been updated for several months).