Mandy Patinkin Named First Honorary Team Captain of USA Fencing
Actor Mandy Patinkin, best known for playing swordsman Inigo Montoya in "The Princess Bride," has been named USA Fencing's first-ever honorary team captain ahead of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles. The move forms part of USA Fencing's new Ambassador Programme, launched with the International Fencing Federation and World Para Fencing, aimed at raising the sport's profile and attracting new audiences before the Games return to American soil for the first time in more than three decades.
Patinkin, who trained under Olympic fencing coach Henry Harutunian and swordmaster Bob Anderson for his role in the 1987 film, will make select appearances at USA Fencing events and support the national team in the run-up to Los Angeles 2028. USA Fencing chief executive Phil Andrews said Patinkin's genuine appreciation of the sport's discipline and community made him an ideal choice, while Patinkin himself praised fencing as a mental as much as physical craft and paid tribute to competitive fencers as "the real thing."
- Mandy Patinkin named USA Fencing's first honorary team captain
- Role tied to new Ambassador Programme ahead of LA 2028 Olympics
- Actor trained with real coaches for his Princess Bride sword role
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USA Fencing is the national governing body for the sport in the United States. It oversees competitive fencing and supports the country’s national teams, while the International Fencing Federation governs the sport internationally and World Para Fencing focuses on para fencing.
Fencing is a combat sport in which competitors score points by striking an opponent with a sword under set rules. It has been part of the Olympic Games for more than a century, and para fencing is included in the Paralympic Games.
The 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games will take place in Los Angeles, bringing the events back to the United States for the first time since 1996. USA Fencing’s ambassador programme is intended to draw attention to the sport ahead of the Games.