Even in defeat, Alexander Massialas checked off a laundry list of superlatives Sunday at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
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Massialas is ranked No. 1 in the world, but had problems in the quarterfinals earlier in the day. Of the 78 Olympic medals awarded in the men’s individual foil since 1896, the US had claimed just two entering Rio – most recently a bronze in 1960.
Massialas made his Olympic debut during the 2012 Games and has appeared at the Senior World Championships six times, most recently placing second overall in the individual competition. Massialas is guaranteed a medal now and will be the first American man to medal in an individual fencing event since 1984.
It was the first medal for the United States in fencing at the Olympics since Peter Westbrook took home bronze in the individual sabre competition at the 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles. Massialas won a silver at the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games. He took a year off from college to train for Rio.
One of the athletes to watch for in Sunday’s individual matches includes 26 years old American Gerek Meinhardt who is in the hunt for a medal during his final Olympics appearance.
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In the final, he trailed Garozzo 14-7, then scraped back to 14-11 before the Italian secured the win.
