MAPLEWOOD/MILLBURN, NJ — New Jersey Fencing Alliance would like to congratulate another of its fencers on their accomplishment of achieving the No. 1 ranking in the United States and Canada in the Youth 12 Epee category.
Since age 5, Alexander “Alex” Luo has been training in epee fencing at the New Jersey Fencing Alliance in Maplewood, under the careful mentorship of Coach Frank Mustilli, Coach Alejandra Terán and his father, Coach Aaron Luo.
Dedicating more than 20 hours a week to his craft, while balancing school, extracurricular activities, clubs training, acting and modeling, Alex has always lived to achieve the best version of himself at a very young age. Over the most recent three years of national competitions, he has won a total of 12 gold medals, three silver medals and nine bronze medals, with over 21 top-8 placements.
As of October, and after six years of constant training, attending numerous national and international tournaments, Alex is now ranked, not only No. 1 in New Jersey, but No. 1 in the entire United States and Canada for Youth 12 epee fencing.
At his young age of 11, he is now qualified to represent the US to fence internationally in the up-and-coming prestigious Pan American Games scheduled for this summer and hosted in Latin America. During this past summer, he was one out of the only two 11-year-olds in the entire North America who was awarded a fencer’s rating by the USA Fencing organization, the governing body of fencing in the US under the US Olympics.
Said Mustilli, “We are so proud of the example he has set for his NJFA teammates, the community around him and to his little brother Sebastian Luo, who is also an epee fencer ranked No. 1 in New Jersey for Youth 8 Epee fencing, also training out of New Jersey Fencing Alliance and currently attending the Wyoming elementary school in Millburn.
“He is a wonderful example of sportsmanship, showcasing to others the meaning of resilience, how to win and lose with dignity and grace, and how to thrive under pressure. As an athlete at this level, he is constantly under pressure to perform both mentally and physically, and we could not be more proud of the leader he has become.”
Photos Courtesy of Frank Mustilli
About the Author
