At 20, Bayer is the No. 1 foil in the U.S.

The Penn sophomore moved from the junior to the open division. "No one has the right to beat me." That, according to Penn fencing coach Dave Micahnik, is the attitude Cliff Bayer brings to every fencing match. During his inaugural campaign last year, Bayer certainly had the right individual outlook. In the foil, he capped off his freshman year by being crowned the NCAA champion in late March. Immediately after that championship, Bayer flew to Tenerife, Spain, to compete in the Junior World Championships, where he placed third behind two Italians. This summer, he moved from the under-20 junior level to the senior, or open, level. "He knows very well that he belongs there," Micahnik said. "He has the talent and he has to keep developing. That's a matter of attitude as well as reality. He's very confident. Although the jump to the open division and the number of international tournaments have led to tougher opponents, there is a better chance for improvement and advancement on the world scene. Bayer gained some valuable experience before he began college when he competed in the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta. "He's got a real good shot of making it to Sydney in 2000 [for the next Summer Olympics]," Micahnik said. In the senior division on the international level, Bayer must adapt to the faster speed, better timing, and increased stamina required of fencers. So far, he has yet to experience the consistent success that he has enjoyed at the national level. He is working on strengthening himself so he is able to more easily dictate the style of matches. The improvement comes more slowly than in the past because progress is more difficult in the open division. Bayer, who hails from New York City, is part of an American fencing movement led by youth. He is currently ranked No. 1 in the senior foil division by the United States Fencing Association, ahead of six other undergraduate fencers. "The first string U.S. team is the youngest it has been in a while," Micahnik said. According to Micahnik, in his 23 years as coach of Penn's fencing teams, he has never had a player of Bayer's caliber. And Bayer is only going into his second year. So what goals remain for him at the collegiate level? No one has ever won the foil championships all four years, and, Micahnik explained, there are team goals for which Bayer can aspire. "He's remarkably determined to do things," Micahnik said. "That conviction and an attitude that saves no room for losing to anyone push Cliff Bayer toward new heights in collegiate and international fencing."

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