Janice Romary
Encyclopedia
Janice-Lee York Romary was a U.S. women's Olympic
foilist
who was the first woman to appear at six Olympic Games.
, she learned fencing at Max Reinhardt
's Dramatic Workshop in Hollywood, California, a club managed by her father. Romary attended the University of Southern California
from 1946–1949, where she fenced at the University of Southern California Fencing Club.
at the 1948 London Olympics
, the 1952 Helsinki Olympics
, the 1956 Melbourne Olympics
, the 1960 Rome Olympics
, the 1964 Tokyo Olympics
and the 1968 Mexico City Olympics
— the first woman to compete in six Olympics, a feat matched four years later by Romanian discus thrower Lia Manoliu
and finally surpassed in 1988 by fellow fencer, Sweden's Kerstin Palm
. In recognition of her extraordinary streak of Olympic appearances, Romary was honored at the Mexico City Olympics in 1968 by being the first woman to carry the flag for the United States.
Though she never medaled at the Olympics, she was a finalist in women's individual foil in 1952 and 1956, finishing fourth both times: in 1952, she tied for third place, but lost to Denmark's Karen Lachmann
on touches.
In addition to her Olympic success, Romary won the U.S. foil championship in 1950, 1951,1956, 1957, 1960, 1961, 1964, 1966, 1967, and 1968, missing the 1959 championships due to pregnancy. Her 10 U.S. championships is more than any other male or female fencer. She won the 1967 World Wide Sportsman's Award, and in August 1968, became the only fencer to ever win the Helms Foundation Athlete of the Month Award. She also won a silver and a bronze medal at the Pan American Games
in 1963, and a gold in 1967.
Romary's husband, Charles Romary, was also an épée and sabre
fencer, sports that did not exist at the Olympic level for women until the 1996 Atlanta Olympics
. He took up the sport after marrying Janice in 1953.
for the 1976 Montreal Olympics
and was responsible for all U.S. women competitors. At the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics
, she was commissioner of fencing.
Romary was inducted into the United States Fencing Association
Hall of Fame
in the 1970s. After retiring from fencing, she moved to Klamath Falls, Oregon
with her husband, where they ran a water purification business. She died in Klamath Falls on May 31, 2007 of complications from Alzheimer's disease
.
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
foilist
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...
who was the first woman to appear at six Olympic Games.
Early life
Born Janice-Lee York in Palo Alto, CaliforniaPalo Alto, California
Palo Alto is a California charter city located in the northwest corner of Santa Clara County, in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, United States. The city shares its borders with East Palo Alto, Mountain View, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Stanford, Portola Valley, and Menlo Park. It is...
, she learned fencing at Max Reinhardt
Max Reinhardt (theatre director)
----Max Reinhardt was an Austrian theater and film director and actor.-Biography:...
's Dramatic Workshop in Hollywood, California, a club managed by her father. Romary attended the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
from 1946–1949, where she fenced at the University of Southern California Fencing Club.
Olympics and U.S. championships
She competed in women's individual foilFoil (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:...
at the 1948 London Olympics
1948 Summer Olympics
The 1948 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in London, England, United Kingdom. After a 12-year hiatus because of World War II, these were the first Summer Olympics since the 1936 Games in Berlin...
, the 1952 Helsinki Olympics
1952 Summer Olympics
The 1952 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Helsinki, Finland in 1952. Helsinki had been earlier given the 1940 Summer Olympics, which were cancelled due to World War II...
, the 1956 Melbourne Olympics
1956 Summer Olympics
The 1956 Melbourne Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVI Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in Melbourne, Australia, in 1956, with the exception of the equestrian events, which could not be held in Australia due to quarantine regulations...
, the 1960 Rome Olympics
1960 Summer Olympics
The 1960 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held from August 25 to September 11, 1960 in Rome, Italy...
, the 1964 Tokyo Olympics
1964 Summer Olympics
The 1964 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Tokyo, Japan in 1964. Tokyo had been awarded with the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this honor was subsequently passed to Helsinki because of Japan's...
and the 1968 Mexico City Olympics
1968 Summer Olympics
The 1968 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Mexico City, Mexico in October 1968. The 1968 Games were the first Olympic Games hosted by a developing country, and the first Games hosted by a Spanish-speaking country...
— the first woman to compete in six Olympics, a feat matched four years later by Romanian discus thrower Lia Manoliu
Lia Manoliu
Lia Manoliu was a Romanian discus thrower who won three Olympic medals, including one gold. She was the first Track & Field athlete to compete at six Olympics....
and finally surpassed in 1988 by fellow fencer, Sweden's Kerstin Palm
Kerstin Palm
Kerstin Palm is a Swedish fencer who has been competing continually since the mid 1960s. Competing in seven Summer Olympics, she earned her best finish of fifth in the women's individual foil event at Mexico City in 1968. She is also the female fencer who has participated in the most Olympic...
. In recognition of her extraordinary streak of Olympic appearances, Romary was honored at the Mexico City Olympics in 1968 by being the first woman to carry the flag for the United States.
Though she never medaled at the Olympics, she was a finalist in women's individual foil in 1952 and 1956, finishing fourth both times: in 1952, she tied for third place, but lost to Denmark's Karen Lachmann
Karen Lachmann
Karen Lachmann was a Danish fencer. She won a silver medal in the women's individual foil event at the 1948 Summer Olympics and a bronze in the same event at the 1952 Summer Olympics.-References:...
on touches.
In addition to her Olympic success, Romary won the U.S. foil championship in 1950, 1951,1956, 1957, 1960, 1961, 1964, 1966, 1967, and 1968, missing the 1959 championships due to pregnancy. Her 10 U.S. championships is more than any other male or female fencer. She won the 1967 World Wide Sportsman's Award, and in August 1968, became the only fencer to ever win the Helms Foundation Athlete of the Month Award. She also won a silver and a bronze medal at the Pan American Games
Pan American Games
The Pan-American or Pan American Games are a major event in the Americas featuring summer and formerly winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Pan American Games are the second largest multi-sport event after the Summer Olympics...
in 1963, and a gold in 1967.
Romary's husband, Charles Romary, was also an épée and sabre
Sabre (fencing)
The sabre is one of the three weapons of modern sport fencing, and is alternatively spelled saber in American English. The sabre differs from the other modern fencing weapons, the épée and foil, in that it is possible to score with the edge of the blade; for this reason, sabreur movements and...
fencer, sports that did not exist at the Olympic level for women until the 1996 Atlanta Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
. He took up the sport after marrying Janice in 1953.
Post-competition career
Romary's association with the Olympics and the sport of fencing continued well beyond her Olympic competition. She was women's administrator for the United States Olympic CommitteeUnited States Olympic Committee
The United States Olympic Committee is a non-profit organization that serves as the National Olympic Committee and National Paralympic Committee for the United States and coordinates the relationship between the United States Anti-Doping Agency and the World Anti-Doping Agency and various...
for the 1976 Montreal Olympics
1976 Summer Olympics
The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
and was responsible for all U.S. women competitors. At the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
, she was commissioner of fencing.
Romary was inducted into the United States Fencing Association
United States Fencing Association
The United States Fencing Association is the national governing body for the sport of fencing in the United States.The USFA was founded in 1891 as the Amateur Fencers League of America by a group of New York fencers seeking independence from the Amateur Athletic Union...
Hall of Fame
USFA Hall of Fame
This is a list of the members of the United States Fencing Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame itself is on display at the Museum of American Fencing, in Shreveport, Louisiana.-1963-1978:...
in the 1970s. After retiring from fencing, she moved to Klamath Falls, Oregon
Klamath Falls, Oregon
Klamath Falls is a city in Klamath County, Oregon, United States. Originally called Linkville when George Nurse founded the town in 1867, after the Link River on whose falls this city sat, although no falls currently exist; the name was changed to Klamath Falls in 1892...
with her husband, where they ran a water purification business. She died in Klamath Falls on May 31, 2007 of complications from Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
.