At 19-years-old, Mathis Falcon-Korb of Mercier is already training for the Los Angeles Summer Olympic Games in 2028. The young athlete, who already competes at the senior level in fencing, is determined to qualify for his first Olympics.
He can count on the support of his mother, Janick Korb, as well as his mentor, Saint-Anicet resident Jean Dahmé.
Both Korb and Dahmé worked at the Huntingdon CLSC, where they were introduced by a co-worker. For the past five years, Dahmé has been helping to guide the fencer along his athletic journey while contributing to his personal development as well.
“The qualifiers have not started yet, but if I maintain my current ranking, I will qualify for the Olympics,” said Falcon-Korb. He trains around 15 hours per week at home and at a gym in Beauharnois. The young man, who was rather shy and had trouble socializing in his early teens, now flies solo to compete in World Cup competitions, often held in Europe, Asia, or the United States.
“In fencing, there are three disciplines: sabre, foil, and épée. The first person to reach 15 points by scoring touches on their opponent wins the match. I chose sabre,” explained Falcon-Korb. “I have been practicing this sport for about ten years. I saw fencing at the Olympic Games and thought it looked cool. I told my parents I wanted to try it, and they found a club not too far from here. Little by little, I have made my way,” he added.
While he was not especially competitive at the start of his career, Falcon-Korb has changed over the years. Dahmé worked with the athlete to grow his confidence and to gradually come out of his shell.
The qualification period will start towards the end of the current season, notably with the Pan American Championships and the World Championships. Falcon-Korb is hoping to qualify for these competitions. Next year, he hopes to participate in as many tournaments as possible to accumulate as many points as he can.
Every trip to a World Cup event comes with its fair share of pressure, particularly when it comes to advancing past the group stage or pools to reach the knockout stage. “If you don’t make it out of your group, you go home. Those who finish in the bottom 15 or 20 per cent of the group standings are eliminated immediately,” he explained. “You take a flight that costs you $2,000, you compete in five matches, and that’s it. Bye-bye.”
With his experience, Falcon-Korb usually advances past the group stage. “He handles that pressure well,” noted Korb.
A fencing season costs upwards of $37,000, which is largely covered by Falcon-Korb’s family. “We don’t get any support from the federations. Since it is an individual sport, it is very difficult to secure funding because it is not a team or an organization … Companies donate to soccer and hockey because they are organizations that can issue tax receipts,” said Korb.
As a result, Falcon-Korb must balance his training, competitions and schoolwork. He is studying natural sciences at the Cégep André-Laurendeau in LaSalle, where he keeps his grades above 90 per cent. He hopes to continue his studies in physics at the Université de Montréal.
A fundraiser for Falcon-Korb will take place on September 12 at the Roger-Tougas Community Hall in Mercier. A casino night will be held featuring several games, followed by a silent auction. Door prizes will be awarded, and participants can enjoy entertainment and music.