Elizabeth Tartakovsky, a 2018 graduate of Livingston High School, is headed to Paris this summer to compete in her first Olympic games. A fencer for most of her life, she will be competing in the women’s sabre portion of the upcoming games, to be held in Paris from July 26 through August 11.
Tartakovsky began fencing when she was nine years old. She was introduced to the sport by a distant relative turned eventual coach Yury Gelman.
“When I was little, I tried out different sports. I tried fencing and I fell in love,” Tartakovsky said. “I loved smacking my sister with a sword.”
When she was a preteen, she started commuting into New York City to train at the Manhattan Fencing Center. From middle school through her high school graduation, she took part in LHS’ fencing team as much as her travel schedule allowed. She noted it was a different level than she was used to competing, but enjoyed being “part of a team, since fencing is very individualized.”