Woman, 70, competes to be top fencer

LOUISVILLE, Ky., Oct. 1 (UPI) -- A 70-year-old Kentucky woman who took up fencing less than 20 years ago is preparing to compete to be world champion in her age group.

"This is a chess game on feet and I love it," Louisa "Lou" Felty told WLKY-TV in Louisville.

Felty not only practices fencing, she teaches the sport. She became a fencer after her coach, Les Stawicki, immigrated from Poland and opened the Louisville Fencing Center.

She said that her husband, who recently died, urged her to find an interest.

"Well, I had a husband who played music and we had four kids and he said, 'Lou, you have to find something else to do besides talk about kids and my music,'" she said. "He said , 'We've got to diversify and we've got to have something to talk about. '

Stawicki told WLKY that Felty may be the top woman in the world among senior fencers with a good chance of proving it at the World Cup in Paris. He said she has what it takes -- quick reactions and little fear.