Eli Dershwitz is among the winners of the USOC's monthly awards ©Getty Images

Eli Dershwitz and Courtney Hurley claimed the individual prizes as fencers swept the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) Best of July awards following their historic performances at the World Championships.

Dershwitz and Hurley were joined by the women's foil team in winning the USOC's monthly awards for July.

Hurley became the first American fencer in history, male or female, to secure a medal in the épée competition at a World Championships when she earned bronze at last month's event in Wuxi.

The 2012 Olympic bronze medallist also helped spearhead the women's épée squad to the gold medal in the team event, the first podium finish for an American women's team in the discipline on the World Championship stage.

Dershwitz also contributed to the US' medal haul of six in the Chinese city as he took silver in the men's sabre competition.

Courtney Hurley, far right, won two medals at the World Fencing Championships in Wuxi ©Getty Images
Courtney Hurley, far right, won two medals at the World Fencing Championships in Wuxi ©Getty Images

He was beaten by South Korean Kim Jung-hwan in the final but his second-place result saw him become the just the second American man to win a sabre medal at the World Championships.

The result for the 22-year-old, a junior world champion in 2015, saw him move to the top of the world sabre rankings.

Lee Kiefer, Nzingha Prescod, Margaret Lu and Nicole Ross sealed the women's team foil title to make history.

Their 45-35 triumph over Italy in the final clinched the first World Championship title for an American foil team.