# Janice Romary > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Janice_Romary > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Janice_Romary.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janice_Romary > Source revision: 1314303532 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|American fencer (1927–2007)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}} {{Infobox sportsperson | name = Janice-Lee York Romary | image = Janice Lee Romary, 1968.jpg | caption = Romary in 1968 | birth_name = | fullname = | nickname = | nationality = | residence = | birth_date = {{birth date|1927|8|6}} | birth_place = [San Mateo, California](/source/San_Mateo%2C_California), [United States](/source/United_States) | death_date = {{death date and age|2007|5|31|1927|8|6}} | death_place = [Klamath Falls, Oregon](/source/Klamath_Falls%2C_Oregon), United States | height = | weight = | website = | country = | sport = [Fencing](/source/Fencing) | event = | collegeteam = | club = | team = | turnedpro = | coach = | retired = | coaching = | worlds = | regionals = | nationals = | olympics = | paralympics = | highestranking = | pb = | show-medals = yes }} '''Janice-Lee York Romary''' (August 6, 1927 – May 31, 2007) was a U.S. women's [Olympic](/source/Olympic_Games) foil [fencer](/source/Fencing) who was the first woman to appear at six Olympic Games. ==Early life== Born Janice-Lee York in [Palo Alto, California](/source/Palo_Alto%2C_California), she learned fencing at [Max Reinhardt](/source/Max_Reinhardt_(theatre_director))'s Dramatic Workshop in [Hollywood, California](/source/Hollywood%2C_California), a club managed by her father.{{cite news|title=Janice-Lee Romary, 79; Olympic fencer|url=http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-romary5jun05,1,7182934.story?coll=la-headlines-pe-california&ctrack=1&cset=true|archive-url=https://archive.today/20110810231741/http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-romary5jun05,1,7182934.story?coll=la-headlines-pe-california&ctrack=1&cset=true|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 10, 2011| work=Los Angeles Times|date=June 5, 2007|accessdate=2007-06-05}} Romary attended the [University of Southern California](/source/University_of_Southern_California) from 1946 to 1949, where she fenced at the [University of Southern California Fencing Club](/source/University_of_Southern_California_Fencing_Club).{{cite web|url=http://www-scf.usc.edu/~fencing/Romary.htm |title=Janice Romary |publisher=USC Fencing |accessdate=2007-06-05 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070227060417/http://www-scf.usc.edu/~fencing/Romary.htm |archivedate=2007-02-27 |url-status=dead }} ==Olympics and U.S. championships== She competed in women's individual [foil](/source/foil_(fencing)) at the [1948 London Olympics](/source/1948_Summer_Olympics), the [1952 Helsinki Olympics](/source/1952_Summer_Olympics), the [1956 Melbourne Olympics](/source/1956_Summer_Olympics), the [1960 Rome Olympics](/source/1960_Summer_Olympics), the [1964 Tokyo Olympics](/source/1964_Summer_Olympics) and the [1968 Mexico City Olympics](/source/1968_Summer_Olympics) — the first woman to [compete in six Olympics](/source/List_of_athletes_with_the_most_appearances_at_Olympic_Games), a feat matched four years later by Romanian discus thrower [Lia Manoliu](/source/Lia_Manoliu) and finally surpassed in 1988 by fellow fencer, Sweden's [Kerstin Palm](/source/Kerstin_Palm).{{cite news|title=Family recalls Olympian|url=http://www.heraldandnews.com/articles/2007/06/04/news/sports/sports1.txt|work=Klamath Falls Herald and News|date=June 4, 2007|accessdate=2007-06-04}} In recognition of her extraordinary streak of Olympic appearances, Romary was honored at the Mexico City Olympics in 1968 by being the [first woman to carry the flag for the United States](/source/List_of_flag_bearers_for_the_United_States_at_the_Olympics). Though she never medaled at the Olympics, she was a finalist in women's individual foil in 1952 and 1956, finishing fourth both times: in 1952, she tied for third place, but lost to Denmark's [Karen Lachmann](/source/Karen_Lachmann) on touches. In addition to her Olympic success, Romary won the U.S. foil championship in 1950, 1951,1956, 1957, 1960, 1961, 1964, 1966, 1967, and 1968, missing the 1959 championships due to pregnancy. Her 10 U.S. championships is more than any other male or female fencer. She won the 1967 Worldwide Sportsman's Award, and in August 1968, became the only fencer to ever win the [Helms Foundation](/source/Helms_Foundation) Athlete of the Month Award. She also won a silver and a bronze medal at the [Pan American Games](/source/Pan_American_Games) in 1963, and a gold in 1967. Romary's husband, Charles Romary, was also an [épée](/source/%C3%A9p%C3%A9e) and [sabre](/source/sabre_(fencing)) fencer, sports that did not exist at the Olympic level for women until the [1996 Atlanta Olympics](/source/1996_Summer_Olympics). He took up the sport after marrying Janice in 1953. ==Post-competition career== Romary's association with the Olympics and the sport of fencing continued well beyond her Olympic competition. She was women's administrator for the [United States Olympic Committee](/source/United_States_Olympic_Committee) for the [1976 Montreal Olympics](/source/1976_Summer_Olympics) and was responsible for all U.S. women competitors. At the [1984 Los Angeles Olympics](/source/1984_Summer_Olympics), she was commissioner of fencing. Romary was inducted into the [United States Fencing Association](/source/United_States_Fencing_Association) [Hall of Fame](/source/USFA_Hall_of_Fame) in the 1970s.{{cite web|url=http://www.fencingonfairfield.com/romary_janice.htm|title=Janice York Romary|publisher=United States Fencing Association Hall of Fame|accessdate=2007-06-05|archive-date=March 28, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230328055000/http://www.fencingonfairfield.com/romary_janice.htm|url-status=dead}} After retiring from fencing, she moved to [Klamath Falls, Oregon](/source/Klamath_Falls%2C_Oregon), with her husband, where they ran a water purification business. She died in Klamath Falls on May 31, 2007, of complications from [Alzheimer's disease](/source/Alzheimer's_disease). ==See also== *[List of athletes with the most appearances at Olympic Games](/source/List_of_athletes_with_the_most_appearances_at_Olympic_Games) *[List of USFA Hall of Fame members](/source/List_of_USFA_Hall_of_Fame_members) ==References== {{Reflist}} [https://web.archive.org/web/20081229120726/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/yo/jan-york-romary-1.html Olympic record at Sports-Reference.Com] {{s-start}} {{s-sports|oly}} {{succession box | before = [Terry McDermott](/source/Terry_McDermott_(speed_skater)) | title = [Flagbearer](/source/Standard-bearer) for {{USA}} | years = [Mexico City 1968](/source/1968_Summer_Olympics) | after = [Dianne Holum](/source/Dianne_Holum) }} {{s-end}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Romary, Janice}} Category:1927 births Category:2007 deaths Category:American female foil fencers Category:Fencers at the 1948 Summer Olympics Category:Fencers at the 1952 Summer Olympics Category:Fencers at the 1956 Summer Olympics Category:Fencers at the 1960 Summer Olympics Category:Fencers at the 1964 Summer Olympics Category:Fencers at the 1968 Summer Olympics Category:Olympic fencers for the United States Category:People from Klamath Falls, Oregon Category:Sportspeople from Palo Alto, California Category:USC Trojans fencers Category:Fencers at the 1963 Pan American Games Category:Medalists at the 1963 Pan American Games Category:Pan American Games gold medalists for the United States in fencing Category:Pan American Games bronze medalists for the United States in fencing Category:20th-century American sportswomen --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Janice Romary](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janice_Romary) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janice_Romary?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.