María Belén Pérez Maurice

María Belén Pérez Maurice (born 12 July 1985) is an Argentinian sabre fencer who was Pan American champion in 2014. She was the only representative of the sport from Argentina at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, and the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.[1][2]

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Pérez and the second or maternal family name is Maurice.

Belén Pérez Maurice
Personal information
Full nameMaría Belén Pérez Maurice
Nickname(s)Flaca
Born (1985-07-12) 12 July 1985
San Nicolás, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Height1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Weight65 kg (143 lb)
Sport
Country Argentina
SportFencing
Weaponsabre
Handleft-handed
National coachLucas Saucedo
ClubFundación Argentina de Esgrima
FIE rankingcurrent ranking
Medal record
Women's sabre
Representing  Argentina
Pan American Games
Bronze medal – third place2015 TorontoIndividual
Silver medal – second place2019 LimaIndividual
Pan American Championships
Gold medal – first place2014 San JoséIndividual
Bronze medal – third place2011 RenoIndividual
Bronze medal – third place2012 CancúnIndividual

Career

Pérez Maurice started fencing at the age of thirteen at the instigation of her mother, an amateur fencer.[3] She did not like the sport at first but took an interest after her first victory. She trained at the Círculo Militar in Buenos Aires–her father is a colonel in the Argentine Army– under Lucas Saucedo, who remains her coach as of 2014.[4]

She first fenced foil, a weapon in which she reached the quarter-finals at the 2006 Buenos Aires World Cup, then switched to sabre for the 2006–07 season. She began a career as a fashion model parallel to her sport career but had to abandon it for lack of time.[3] In 2011, she won two satellite tournaments and earned a bronze medal at the Pan American Championships in Reno, Nevada. These results allowed her to qualify for the 2012 Summer Olympics as one of the top two fencers from the American zone. She is the first Argentinian to gain Olympic access through FIE rankings.[5] She lost 15–12 in the first round to Italy's Gioia Marzocca and finished 21st.[6] In the 2013–14 season she won the gold medal at the Pan American Championships in San José after defeating Olympic champion Mariel Zagunis in the final.[7] She finished the season No.21 in world rankings, a career-best.

Pérez Maurice studied food engineering at the Universidad Argentina de la Empresa.[3]

María Belén won the bronze medal at the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto, Canada.

She competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics.[8] She lost to Manon Brunet in the bronze medal match. She accepted a marriage proposal from her coach and partner Lucas Saucedo.[2]

References
  1. "Belén Pérez". Olympedia. Retrieved 5 March 2023. Full name: María Belén Pérez Maurice
  2. "Argentina's Pérez Maurice loses Olympic fencing bout but gains fiancé". The Guardian. 26 July 2021. Retrieved 24 August 2021. María Belén Pérez Maurice
  3. Federico Henault (19 July 2012). "Historias María Belén Pérez Maurice, modelo olímpica" (in Spanish). 442 Perfil.
  4. "La dama del sable". Para Ti (in Spanish). April 2012. Archived from the original on 1 April 2016. Retrieved 12 September 2014.
  5. "Bélen Pérez Maurice classified for London Olympics!". Fundación Argentina de Esgrima. Archived from the original on 14 April 2013. Retrieved 7 July 2012.
  6. "Pérez Maurice quedó eliminada en esgrima" (in Spanish). TyC Sports. 1 August 2012. Archived from the original on 31 March 2016. Retrieved 12 September 2014.
  7. "Belén Perez Maurice se coronó Campeona Panamericana de Esgrima" (in Spanish). Ministry of Sport of Argentina. 9 June 2014.
  8. "Fencing: PEREZ MAURICE Maria Belen". Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Archived from the original on 18 August 2021. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
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