In recent months the Battle Ground 16-year-old has competed in sabre contests in Hungary and Poland. She has won a national event and placed fifth in the Junior Olympics. Over the weekend, during the United States Fencing Division I nationals in Portland, Lian earned a silver medal with her Oregon Fencing Alliance team and placed 10th individually.

Lian, along with sisters Kirsten Hee and Malia Hee, were Clark County fencers who competed successfully at the invitation-only event in Portland. In addition to Division I contests that helped determine the United States Olympians for this year, the four-day competition included North America Cup youth tournaments in the under-14, under-12, and under-10 age divisions.

The girls all compete in sabre. One of the three weapons in the sport of fencing, a sabre is a thrusting and thrashing weapon where points are scored by making contact above an opponent’s waist. They train and compete with the Oregon Fencing Alliance, a gym in southwest Portland that specializes in the sabre and the home of 2004 Olympic gold medalist Mariel Zagunis.

The opportunity to train with world-class fencers and coaches makes the 40-mile trip from Battle Ground to Beaverton worthwhile for Lian.

“It motivates you to be on top like them,” Lian said.

Though she finished one spot out of the 2008 national team for her age group, Lian’s coaches believe she could become one of the OFA’s next Olympians.

“(Lian) progressed very fast,” said Ed Korfanty, the Oregon Fencing Alliance head coach and a sabre coach for the U.S. national team.

“The easy part (to learn) was the physical part,” Lian said. “I have no patience out there, so I have to work on that.”

Lian placed 10th in the women’s competition on Monday in Portland. Her successes include a gold medal for the cadet age division at age-group nationals in November at Dallas.

She also has traveled to Europe to compete in international tournaments as a junior fencer.

Lian said she believes participating in the 2012 Olympics is “not a far-fetched dream. But I have to buckle down right away if I’m going to get there.”

The Hee sisters attend Oregon Episcopal School. The Oregon Fencing Alliance gym is on the OES campus, and it was an after-school program that introduced Kirsten to fencing.

Kirsten won the gold medal in Portland for girls 14 and younger. She recently won an eighth-place medal competing against adults, and is ranked ninth nationally for her age.

“You do have to be physically in shape. You also have to be able to think quickly and strategize,” Kirsten said.

Malia Hee has certainly been a quick study in the sport she took up in kindergarten after watching Kirsten compete. Malia has been ranked No. 1 in the nation for her age. She took the silver medal in Portland in the 10 and younger division, then placed 13th in the 12-and-younger contest.

“I like fencing because it’s all about speed, and you get to hit people,” said Malia, an exuberant fourth-grader.

“She’s a very intense young lady,” said Charles Randall, who coaches 10-year-old Malia.

Randall described Malia as a quick learner who is interested in the details of the sport, and has the courage to challenge established fencers at the gym, including Olympians. She is still a kid, her coach noted, but she has a drive that serves her well in sword play.

“You can see in her eyes that she’s a champion,” Randall said.