3x Olympian Kat Holmes Used Game Theory to Win a World Championship Gold | Direct Elimination Ep. 30

3-time Olympian & World Champion Kat Holmes used game theory to win. She qualified for the Olympics while surviving medical school on zero sleep. This is an elite competitor. The Fencing Podcast of All Fencing Podcasts.In this episode, you'll discover:• How Kat used her Princeton thesis on Nash equilibrium to develop an overtime fencing strategy that helped anchor Team USA to the 2018 World Championship title• What it actually looked like to train for the Olympics while completing medical school — the sleep deprivation, the mental health struggles, and how she got through it• The shocking moment Kat was asked to testify at a legal hearing for the Alan Hadzic safe sport case the night before her Olympic debut at Tokyo• How Kat's biomechanics research on fencing lunges and injury patterns is shaping the future of sports medicine for fencersKat Holmes is a three-time Olympian (Rio, Tokyo, Paris), 2018 World Championship anchor for Team USA's women's épée squad, four-time NCAA All-American at Princeton, and a practicing medical professional whose scientific research is now focused on the sport she's spent her life mastering.⏱️ CHAPTERS00:00:00 Introduction00:04:06 A Nine-Year-Old Who Wanted to Sword Fight00:06:54 The Distinctive Style00:09:19 Fencing, Princeton, and the Road to the Olympics00:13:04 Paris: The Final Hurrah00:19:34 Tokyo Olympics00:25:05 Medical School, Mental Health, and Burnout00:27:54 Leveling Up as a Team00:29:44 Becoming the Best Anchor in the World00:32:31 Kat's Winning Thesis00:35:32 Winning Strategy, Commitment, and Tactical Discipline00:41:43 Performance Optimization00:44:14 Biomechanics Research00:50:03 One Light Answers00:54:33 Closing Thoughts💬 BEST QUOTES"I will say that medical school and qualifying for the Olympics was like the hardest. I can't honestly imagine anything harder. I didn't sleep for two years.""I never want to have to wonder, like, what if? What if I had worked harder? What if I had done this? I really wanted to always leave it on the table.""I think at one point I probably was the best anchor in the world for like a little minute.""I don't have an Olympic medal. Do I want one? Yes. Would I like to be Olympic champion? Obviously. But I think, you know, the body of my career more speaks to the heart and soul that I put into it."🔗 Connect with Kat📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/worldfencingleagueTheme song written and performed by Colin Campbell🔗 Connect with Colin📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/campbelltunes/?hl=enThank you for listening!🔗 Check out FencR🌐: https://www.fencr.app/📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fencr.app🔗 Connect with Us🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple: https://link.me/directelimination📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directelimination/🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@directeliminationpodcast📺 Subscribe for more episodes: youtube.com/@DirectElimination🔗 Prieur USA🌐: https://www.prieurusa.com/📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prieur_usa/