Though the loss prevented him from becoming the first American male to win Olympic gold in modern fencing, Massialas was able to make history of another kind. Earlier in the day, the top-ranked American fencer had survived a scare in the quarterfinals, scoring seven consecutive touches to win. Massialas made the necessary adjustments and started the second period with four straight touches before surrendering the winning point. “Even though they don’t sound like a lot, they meant the world to me,” Massialas said. It wasn’t the first time Alexander Massialas had found himself in a jam, on the edge of losing, desperately needing a comeback.

Source: Los Angeles Times August 08, 2016 02:41 UTC