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CHOUPENITCH Alexander
NOC Czech Republic   
GenderMen
Born 02 May 1994 in Brno, CZE
Height1.96 m
Human Interest
General Interest
Memorable sporting achievement Winning bronze in individual foil at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. (idnes.cz, 14 Jul 2022)
Hobbies Listening to music, playing the piano, ice hockey. (redbull.com, 24 Sep 2020)
Famous relatives His step-grandmother Tatyana Samusenko was a fencer. She represented the Soviet Union at four editions of the Olympic Games between 1960 and 1972, winning three gold medals in team foil. (SportsDeskOnline, 21 Jun 2017; denik.cz, 19 Jun 2012)
Sport Specific Information
Why this sport? He played basketball when he was younger but sometimes he would not touch the ball during a match. His mother then took him to a fencing club. "Never before had I heard of fencing and had no idea. Mum just said one day we were going to practice, so I went. At first I didn't even enjoy fencing that much, because you don't even fence for the first year."
General Interest
Awards and honours He was named Athlete of the Year for 2021 and 2022 by the Czech Sokol. (sokol.eu, 31 Mar 2023; Sokolsky Beh Republiky Facebook page, 27 Sep 2022)

He was named the 2012 Talent of the Year for the Southern Region of the Czech Republic. (kr-jihomoravsky.cz, 24 Apr 2012)
Sport Specific Information
Handedness Right
When and where did you begin this sport? He began fencing at age eight at the Sokol Brno I club in the Czech Republic.
Further Personal Information
Occupation Athlete, Musician
General Interest
Sporting philosophy / motto "Do what you enjoy and do it to the fullest." (redbull.com, 24 Sep 2020)
Further Personal Information
Higher education Sport Studies - Masaryk University: Brno, CZE
Languages Czech, English, Italian, Russian
General Interest
Most influential person in career His family. (redbull.com, 09 Jun 2015)
Nicknames Cupe, Sasha, Alex (redbull.com, 09 Jun 2015)
Other information MUSICIAN
Away from sport he makes rap music. He has released songs in the Czech Republic, including 'Tak Daleko' [So Far] in February 2021. "It's hard to say [where my love of rap came from]. Rap and hip hop are now the most popular genres. Anyone who listens to music has had to encounter it. Before that, it was rock, that's natural. But I listen not only to rap, but also to other genres. Sometimes I play house, for example. Sometimes I want something where there are more words, sometimes more bass." (idnes.cz, 14 Jul 2022, 12 Apr 2021; YouTube channel, 21 Feb 2021)

HERITAGE
His parents were opera singers in Belarus before moving to the Czech Republic. They changed their surname from the Belarusian 'Supenic' to the French 'Choupenitch' as they travelled around Europe with the opera. They later settled in Brno, Czech Republic, where Alexander was born. (czechteam.info, 25 Nov 2016; rozhlas.cz, 04 Jul 2016; sport.lidovky.cz, 12 Apr 2014)

THEATRE
He has appeared as an extra in productions at the Janacek Theatre in Brno, Czech Republic, including a small part in the opera The Bartered Bride. (isport.blesk.cz, 26 Jul 2021)
Ambitions To win gold at the Olympic Games. (redbull.com, 24 Sep 2020)
Milestones He became the first fencer representing the Czech Republic to win a medal at the Olympic Games by claiming bronze in individual foil at the 2020 Games in Tokyo. (SportsDeskOnline, 06 Sep 2021; eurofencing.info, 17 Aug 2021)

He was the first fencer representing the Czech Republic to win a medal in individual foil at the European championships, claiming bronze at the 2018 edition of the tournament in Novi Sad, Serbia. (SportsDeskOnline, 11 Jul 2018; denik.cz, 21 Jun 2018)
Further Personal Information
Residence Brno, CZE
Sport Specific Information
Club / Team Sokol Brno I: Czech Republic

Major Results
Year Rank Event Venue
Olympic Games
2020 3 Individual Foil Tokyo, Japan
World Championships
2022 7 Individual Foil Cairo, Egypt
2014 Quarterfinal Individual Foil Kazan, Russia
European Championships
2022 5 Individual Foil Antalya, Turkey
2019 Quarterfinal Individual Foil Düsseldorf, Germany
2018 3 Individual Foil Novi Sad, Serbia
2017 Quarterfinal Individual Foil Tbilisi, Georgia
2014 5 Individual Foil Strasbourg, France
2013 6 Team Foil Zagreb, Croatia
2012 7 Individual Foil Legnano, Italy