Strzalkowski enjoys top spot at Pan-Am Games

By DON WAGNER
Collegian Sports Writer

Penn State's Thomas Strzalkowski, a coaching assistant for the fencing team, spent his collegiate fencing career in the realm of the best in the country.

Last week in Argentina at the Pan-American Games, he stepped into the realm of the best in the world by helping the United States fencing team to the gold medal.

The Pan-Am Games are held every four years the year before each summer Olympics. The event hosts the best athletes from North, South and Latin America for a competition that has often been described as a "mini Olympics."

For Strzalkowski, the competition went beyond just fencing and medals and awards. It was about the honor of being gathered with all the best athletes in America -- and the world.

"I was in awe because I was with all the top athletes from the U.S. and people who had previously won gold medals," he said. "It was a feeling that I can't even really describe."

Penn State Assistant Coach Wes Glon agrees that the atmosphere at the Pan-Am Games is unlike any other sporting event. He described it as a place where differences were put aside and everyone was a big family.

"When people put their masks on to fence they were competitors, but when they were done, they were once again friends," he said.

For Strzalkowski, the whole attitude surrounding the competition was unlike anything he had ever experienced before. He said in many of the South and Latin American countries, athletes spend their whole lives training for the Pan-Am Games because many of them won't be able to qualify for the Olympics.

"To many of the South American countries, this is the Olympics and they spend all their energy just to get to these games," he said.

Another aspect of the games that Strzalkowski found to be different was the treatment of the athletes. He found out that having a gold medal meant instant fame. Right after he and his teammates had won their medals, they were walking down the street wearing them when they were greeted by a crowd of fans.

"There were people asking for autographs and asking to get their picture taken with me and congratulating me," he said. "It was awesome. I was a celebrity for an hour."

Strzalkowski and his teammates barely defeated the Cubans for the gold medal. With their 45-44 victory, the Americans beat the Cubans in sabre for the first time since 1967.