Northborough Fencer Returns After 5 Years, Wins 2 Medals At World Championship

NORTHBOROUGH, MA — After five years away from competitive fencing, a Northborough woman made a comeback that took her all the way to the world championship stage.

Cassandra Bates, former elite U.S. women’s epee fencer, earned two medals representing Team USA at the 2026 Veteran Fencing World Championships in Tbilisi, Georgia, earlier this month. She won individual silver in the women’s 40-49 epee event and team gold in the women’s 40-59 competition.

Bates told Patch that she used to compete internationally on the senior circuit and even pursued an Olympic berth before stepping away in 2021. While she still continued fencing recreationally and coaching, she decided to return shortly before turning 40 years old.

“I started to miss competing,” Bates told Patch. “I missed not only having an athletic goal to work towards, but also — and more so — the challenge and satisfaction of performing under pressure.”

At her first national event in five years, Bates said she placed second. She later earned the No. 1 U.S. ranking in her age category and qualified for the Veteran World Championships.

2026 Veteran Fencing World Championships

In Tbilisi, Bates told Patch narrowly missed an individual world title with a 10-9 loss in the gold medal match. She returned the following day to help the U.S. women’s epee team win the world championship.

“Am I disappointed that I didn’t win the individual gold? Of course, especially when I was so close,” Bates told Patch. “But had I won, I might not have been quite as hungry going into the team event the next day or be quite so eager to get back to the grind now.”

To prepare for the competition, she had fencing sessions at Marx Fencing Academy in Acton and strength and conditioning workouts at the Boroughs Family Branch YMCA in Westborough. She trained five or more days each week, often remaining at the YMCA until its 10 p.m. closing time.

Bates credited her coaches, fellow fencers, friends, family and coworkers for supporting her return.

"My community extends beyond the Boroughs, but so much of my daily life happens right here. The encouragement and support I've received from my coaches, fellow fencers, friends, family, and coworkers have meant a lot to me," Bates told Patch. "There’s always a team behind the team. I’m so grateful for mine."

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