Brendan Francis Cusack (born June 29, 1992) is an Irish and American dual citizen foil fencer who competes on the Irish national team. Background Born in Summit, New Jersey, Cusack acquired Irish citizenship from his paternal grandfather, John Cusack, who was born and raised in Westport, County Mayo, Ireland. He grew up in Glen Gardner, New Jersey and attended North Hunterdon High School, where he won the New Jersey State individual fencing title in 2011. He began his fencing career in 2003. In 2008, he finished second in the Irish National Senior Championship. In 2010, he placed 39th in his first Junior World Championship in Baku, Azerbaijan. Later that year, he won the Irish Open Championship in Dublin, and in February 2011 won the bronze medal at the Junior World Cup in Aix-en-Provence, France. In March 2011, he won the New Jersey State HS Fencing Championship for the first time, of 114 entrants from 48 countries. In July 2011, Cusack became the first Irishman to finish in the top 16 of the European Fencing Championships and subsequently was selected to represent Ireland at the European Zonal Olympic Qualifiers in Bratislava, Slovakia on April 21, 2012. As an adult, Cusack competed in men's foil at the 2011, 2014, 2015, and 2017 FIE world championships. In 2014 he won his only match at a senior world championship, advancing to the round of 64. His highest world ranking ever was 105th. Results *26th European Senior Foil Championships, Poland (2016) *1st West of Ireland Open, Tipperary, Ireland (2015) *1st South of Ireland Open, Cork, Ireland (2015) *2nd Irish Open, Dublin, Ireland (2015) *18th Junior European Championships, Porec, Croatia (2012) *16th Senior European Championships, Sheffield, England (2011) *3rd Junior World Cup, Aix-en-Provence, France (2011) *1st New Jersey State HS Individual Championship (2011) *1st Irish Open Championship, Dublin, Ireland (2010) *3rd Irish Senior National Championship, Dublin, Ireland (2009) *2nd Irish Senior National Championship, Dublin, Ireland (2008) *8th US Junior Olympics - Cadet, Albuquerque, USA (2008)
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