Emily Cross

Emily Cross, born on October fifteenth, nineteen eighty-six, in Seattle, Washington, is a distinguished U.S. foil fencer renowned for her remarkable contributions to the sport. A member of the U.S. Women's foil team at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, she played a pivotal role in securing a silver medal alongside her teammates Erinn Smart and Hanna Thompson. Her journey in fencing began under the guidance of her father, Fred Cross, a professor in cell genetics, who introduced her and her brother to the sport at the Metropolis Fencing Club and later at the NY Fencers Club.

Cross's academic achievements are as impressive as her athletic ones. She graduated from Harvard College with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology and went on to earn her Doctorate of Medicine from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. During her time at Harvard, she was recognized as an Academic All-Ivy League athlete in two consecutive years, and she received the prestigious Radcliffe Prize as Harvard's top female athlete, along with the Harvard-Radcliffe Foundation for Women's Athletics Prize for being the top female scholar-athlete.

Her fencing accolades are numerous and noteworthy. In two thousand one, she clinched a bronze medal at the USA Fencing National Championships (Division I). The following years saw her excel further, winning a silver medal at the two thousand three Pan American Games and gold medals in both the U19 Foil and U19 Epee at the USA Fencing National Championships in two thousand four. By two thousand five, she had achieved gold at the Junior World Championships, NCAA Championships (Individual), and USA Fencing National Championships (both Division I and U19).

In two thousand six, Cross continued her winning streak with gold medals at the NCAA Championships (Team) and the Junior World Championships (Team). She earned a bronze medal in the Pan American Championships in two thousand seven and capped off her Olympic journey in two thousand eight with a gold medal at the Pan American Championships, solidifying her status as a leading figure in U.S. fencing.