Local fencer Magda Skarbonkiewicz falls in women's individual saber at Paris Olympics

Former Jesuit High School star Magda Skarbonkiewicz is out in the women’s fencing individual saber event at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics.

The 18-year-old was making her debut at the Games after honing her craft at the Oregon Fencing Alliance near Oregon Episcopal School.

In the duel against Turkey’s Nisanur Erbil, she and Skarbonkiewicz went back and forth in the race to the first eight points, which comes with a sort of “halftime” once someone reaches the number.

With the match tied at seven, Skarbonkiewicz was able to get the touch and head to the break up 8-7.

However, Erbil returned fire quickly after falling down 9-7 to the Oregonian, scoring the next seven points and sitting one point away from the victory at 14-9.

Skarbonkiewicz was able to recover a couple points, but the hole was too big to climb out of as she fell 15-11 in the round of 32.

While the loss stings, Skarbonkiewicz’s time at the Games is not over as she was picked to be one of the fencers for the U.S. saber team that is still to compete for gold.

The team competition includes eight squads and it begins at 4 a.m. Aug. 3 when the Americans take on South Korea.