Olympic bronze medalist relied on credit-card debt and fundraising

Monica Aksamit, a 35-year-old Olympian who won a bronze medal in 2016, says she made only $300 a month while on the US fencing team and fell into credit-card debt to keep competing. She began fencing around age eight after her Polish immigrant mother signed her up on the suggestion of a client.

Her mother put herself into credit-card debt to pay for equipment, travel, practices, and tournaments, and a coach who saw potential urged them to keep going, accepting what the family could afford. Fencing was also an outlet during her parents' divorce, and prize money helped sustain her as she started winning competitions.

After graduating college in 2012 she had to fund most of her Olympic pursuit herself, staying at home to avoid rent and working as a coach, a referee at tournaments, handing out flyers, and taking low-end modeling gigs. Her fencing club and contributors to a GoFundMe provided additional support while she chased the Olympic dream.

United States

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