Fencing is certainly not the most popular sport in the world, and so we won’t blame you if you’re unaware of the existence of people associated with it. Barring major multi-sports events like the Olympics and the Asian Games, the fencers hardly come under the limelight.
However, the recent success of Hong Kong-based fencers Cheun Ka-long and Vivian Kong at the Paris Olympics 2024 has sparked a sudden interest among the people in the city about the sport. Both Ka-long and Kong have become national heroes, and rightfully so — for a nation that has won only a meagre 13 medals in its overall history at the Olympics, winning two gold medals in a single edition is a significant feat.
With such widespread success comes an influx of wealth. For winning gold medals in fencing, both Ka-long and Kong received HKD 6 million (USD 769,644) each from the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China (SF&OC) as prize money.
Naturally, there is a shared curiosity among the common people regarding the wealth of fencers. A word of caution: fencers do not enjoy any significant salary, so the highest-paid fencers in the world at present earn less than most athletes. But their performance-based incentives can, over time, help them build a fortune.
On that note, join us as we bring you a curated list of the top richest fencers in the world.
Who are the richest fencers in the world?
- Alisher Usmanov
- Romain Cannone
- Miles Chamley-Watson
- Marie-Florence Candassamy
- Sophie Williams
- Mariel Zagunis
Now, let us learn about these fencers and their net worth in detail:
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Alisher Usmanov
Net worth in 2024: USD 13.9 billion (HKD 108.4 billion)
One of the most influential Russians in the post-World War II era, Alisher Usmanov is known for his mind-boggling wealth. The part-Russian, part-Uzbek magnate is one of the 100 wealthiest people on the globe and commands a net worth of… wait for it… USD 13.9 billion, according to Forbes! Yes, you read that right.
Usmanov made his fortune after the downfall of the Soviet Union, primarily through metal and mining operations. He owns majority shares in multiple business ventures, the most significant of which are Metalloinvest, USM Holdings, Udokan, MegaFon and Kommersant, among others. In the past, he served as a shareholder in the Premier League sides Arsenal FC (from 2007 to 2018) and Everton FC (from 2017 to 2022).
However, not many people know that Usmanov was once a fencer himself. He specialised in sabre fencing and represented the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic. This makes him eligible to be named the richest fencer in the world (and by some distance).
Long after leaving the sport, Usmanov served as the president of the following bodies:
- Russian Fencing Federation (2001-2009)
- European Fencing Confederation (2005-2009)
- International Fencing Federation (2008-2022)
Romain Cannone
Net worth in 2024: USD 2.1 million (HKD 16.4 million)
One of the finest fencers of all time, Romain Cannone is a world champion in both individual and team events. The French épée fencer is also an Olympic champion (he won the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021) and the first person since Pavel Kolobkov to win back-to-back world titles. To secure a fencing world title, one has to either secure two gold medals at the World Championships or a gold at the World Championships and another one at the Olympics.
Here is how his career medals tally looks like:
- Olympics: One gold (2021)
- World Championships: Two gold (2022), one silver (2023), one bronze (2023)
- European Championships: One gold (2024), one bronze (2022)
- World Cup: Two gold (2022, 2024), one silver (2022), two bronze (2021, 2023)
According to reports, Cannone’s net worth, which is a result of his earnings from professional fencing, ranks him among the richest fencers in the world.
Miles Chamley-Watson
Net worth in 2024: USD 1.5 million (HKD 11.7 million)
Perhaps the most influential American fencer ever, Miles Chamley-Watson was born in London and is of Jamaican, Irish, British and Malawian descent. The foil fencer is a three-time Olympian and has even won an Olympic medal (in 2016).
Here is Chamley-Watson’s career medals at major international events:
- Olympics: One bronze (2016)
- World Championships: Two gold (2013, 2019), three silver (2013, 2017, 2018)
- Pan American Games: Three gold (2011, 2015, 2023), one silver (2023)
- Pan-American Championships: 13 gold (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023, 2024), one silver (2010), four bronze (2009, 2013, 2016, 2017)
Chamley-Watson’s net worth of USD 1.5 million makes him one of the very few millionaires among fencers.
Marie-Florence Candassamy
Net worth in 2024: USD 1 million (HKD 7.8 million)
A hero from the Paris Olympics 2024, Marie-Florence Candassamy’s meteoric rise in the past two years is worthy of appreciation. After claiming gold medals at the European Championships and the World Championships in 2023, she clinched the silver medal in épée fencing at the Olympics the following year.
Take a look at the French fencer’s medals tally:
- Olympics: One silver (2024)
- World Championships: One gold (2023)
- European Games: One gold (2023)
- European Championships: Three gold (2018, 2022, 2023), three silver (2014, 2016, 2019), one bronze (2024)
Sophie Williams
Net worth in 2024: USD 1 million (HKD 7.8 million)
British fencer Sophie Williams represented her home nation at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, which remains her only appearance at the marquee sports event to date. However, her only outing remains forgettable as Williams was defeated by Italian fencer Irene Vecchi in the first round of the women’s individual event.
At present, Williams is reportedly studying at the University College London for a degree in neuroscience. Even though she has been absent from the international sphere for a long time, Williams remains one of the richest fencers in the world.
Mariel Zagunis
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Net worth in 2024: USD 1 million (HKD 7.8 million)
Last but not least in our list of the richest fencers in the world is Mariel Zagunis.
One of the finest Americans in the world of fencing, Zagunis is a two-time Olympic champion and the first American female fencer to win a gold medal at the marquee sports meet. The five-time Olympian was also the flag-bearer of Team USA at the 2012 Summer Olympics Parade of Nations in London.
Here is a list of medals won by Zagunis at major sports meets:
- Olympics: Two gold (2004, 2008), two bronze (2008, 2016)
- World Championships: Four gold (2005, 2009, 2010, 2014), five silver (2004, two in 2006, 2011, 2014), four bronze (2011, 2012, 2013, 2015)
Outside the fencing arena, Zagunis appeared on a Food Network TV show Chopped, which essentially was a cooking competition. Other celebrities to feature alongside her included former National Football League (NFL) player LaMarr Woodley, former gold medal figure skater Dorothy Hamill and UFC fighter Paige VanZant.
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(Main Image Credits: Wikimedia Commons/© Marie-Lan Nguyen and Romain Cannone/Instagram; Featured Image Credits: Romain Cannone/Instagram)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Alisher Usmanov is the richest fencer in the world.
Although no official data is available, many believe that Cheun Ka-long is the highest-paid fencer in the world, primarily owing to his two consecutive gold medal wins at the Olympics (in 2021 and 2024) that saw him earn significant prize money.
