Nick Itkin may be 24 years old, but he’s already a seasoned Olymian.
Having won two consecutive bronze medals at the Paris Olympics after Tokyo, the Los Angeles native said he went into his second Olympic competitions with more confidence – largely thanks to Misha Itkin, his coach and father, and three-time Olympian Miles Chamley-Watson.
“I'm just going to be ready for that pressure because I know it's going to come,” the younger Itkin said before heading to Paris. “As an athlete, I'm a lot more experienced than I was back then.”
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Humility is also something the Palisades High School and Notre Dame University alum channeled while training for the biggest international sporting events.
“I prefer being a little bit of an underdog because I feel like everyone’s coming at you, you know?” Itkin, who also won two consecutive NCAA Championships at Notre Dame, said, adding he doesn’t want to think about his accomplishments too much. “I'm just focused on my training and making sure I'm in the best shape possible.”
What may have also helped Itkin prepare for Paris was his relationship with Chamley-Watson, who is also coached by Itkin’s dad after moving to Los Angeles in 2021.
The 34-year-old British American, who is one of the biggest fencing stars in the world, has been a role model for Itkin, according to Coach Itkin.
“He brings so much positive energy every time when you train,” the coach said. “It makes us more excited working with him.”
Nick Itkin, who admits he’s still figuring out his own style and routine, said he learned a lot from watching and spending almost every day with Chamley-Watson while training for the Paris Olympics.
“It's been fun to just battle with him out here because it's good for both of us to have someone at a high level to battle with,” the younger Itkin said, explaining the two Olympians are like brothers.
After winning his second bronze medal, Itkin said he waited for four years for this moment.
“Obviously the dream is the gold, but I’m super happy to walk away with some kind of jewelry, hardware," the two-time Olympic medalist said. “All the hard work I had put in -- It was worth it.”
