Ralf Bißdorf

Ralf Bißdorf was a German foil fencer who surprisingly won the silver medal in the individual foil event at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. With the German team he finished sixth. Four years later at Athens, he again finished sixth with the team and was eliminated early in the individual event. At World Championships Bißdorf won one team gold in 2002, and two team bronze medals (2003, 2005). At Europeans he added two more individual gold medals (1998, 2006), and two team golds (1998, 2001).

Bißdorf was awarded the Silver Bay Leaf, Germany’s highest sports award. From 2000-02 he won the overall World Cup three times in a row. Bißdorf later turned to coaching and worked in Singapore (2010-16), and then in the United States at “Marx Fencing Academy” in Acton, Massachusetts. From 1997-2005, he was the athlete’s voice of the FIE (World Fencing Association).