Sophomore Phoenix Olen has been on plenty of stages before, appearing in many theater productions in the Norris Ely Orchard Theater. 

Soon he will be on a different stage — a world stage — not as an actor but as a fencer. He will represent Nigeria in April at the 2026 Junior and Cadet Fencing World Championships in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. 

“In August 2024,” Phoenix says, “I picked up a fencing weapon for the first time. I did not have a long-term plan. I was simply curious. I wanted to try something new and challenge myself.” 

He started in foil, one of three swords used in fencing, but says he was soon drawn to the sabre. “Sabre is faster and more explosive,” Phoenix says. “It requires quick decisions and emotional control under pressure. Every touch happens in a split second, and there is no time to hesitate. When I switched to sabre in September 2024, something clicked. The intensity suited me. I felt more natural, more instinctive.” 

That intensity just might be a carryover from the theater. “The characters I play have been very dynamic, very big, and I have been able to take that and go big in fencing,” he says. “Because I am so used to going big and exaggerating everything, I'm able to really stretch and extend very easily.” 

Phoenix is excited about the chance to meet new people in a country he’s never visited and enjoy the experience of Rio. He says he knows the competition will be tough. “I don't know what will happen,” he says. “I’ll take it seriously, but I want to have fun doing the sport I like to do.” 

He says he also is excited to represent Nigeria, where his mom’s family is from and where he remembers attending his grandfather’s funeral. “Being able to represent Nigeria,” he says, “I feel like I’m interacting with my home, kind of, a whole other side of me. There is pressure, but pressure as a bear hug, a family bear hug.” 

His parents — regulars at all the theater performances which also have included his twin sister Zieozi — have supported him along the way.  

“My progress would not be possible without my family,” Phoenix says. “Three times a week, my parents drive from [Wilbraham] Massachusetts to pick me up from school, take me to practice at Enfield Fencing Club in Enfield, return me to campus, and then drive home. That does not include tournaments. When I worry that it is too much, they tell me they are happy to do it because it gives them more time with me and my twin sister. They remind me that I love fencing. Hearing that makes me grateful and motivates me to give my best effort every time I train.” 

Loomis Chaffee also has been supportive. Last spring Phoenix did an Independent Study Project (ISP) focused on sabre fencing. “I wanted my training to be more intentional and structured,” Phoenix says. “My [advisor], Kevin Henderson, known to many of us as Mr. Hendo, saw something in me that made him push the ISP to the finish line. His advocacy meant a great deal. The approval allowed fencing to become part of my academic experience, not separate from it. It reinforced that discipline in sport and discipline in school can support each other.” 

Phoenix says Enfield Fencing Club is a competitive yet nurturing environment. “My coach, Madison Fournier, has been central to my development. ...  She emphasizes preparation, mindset, and discipline just as much as technique. She challenges me while also encouraging me. She will be traveling with me to Rio and having her there means a great deal.” 

He also has trained at the Zeta Elite Saber Camp in Ashland, Mass., most recently in December after coming back from an injury. So he is prepared for the opportunity ahead. The Rio championships are April 1–9, which means he will be missing classes. Once again, Loomis Chaffee will support him. He has worked with his advisor this year, teacher Sam Higgins, to plan for his absence. “He helped me understand the steps I needed to take, how to communicate with my teachers, and how to plan ahead academically,” Phoenix says. 

Not even two years removed from picking up his first fencing weapon, he will soon find himself among elite fencers. 

“This journey,” he says, “has been shaped by many people. My parents, my twin sister, my coaches, my teachers, and my friends, have all played a part. Representing Nigeria is an honor and deeply humbling. I am proud to compete, but I also hope to represent my country with discipline and character. I am still learning. I am still growing. And I am grateful for every step that brought me here.”