Foil, Individual, Men

FIE’s top-ranked American Alexander Massialas, son of Olympian and US fencing coach Greg Massialas, lost the men’s individual foil final against Italian Daniele Garozzo, ranked 11. Garozzo shattered Massialas dream to become the first US fencing gold medalist since St. Louis 1904. The Italian scored six straight points in the final to build a comfortable lead, before securing the gold with a 15-11 victory. A prematurely celebrating Garozzo was ordered by the officials to return to the piste before awarding him the winning point. In front of an enthusiastic crowd, Massialas needed a rally of seven consecutive points in the last eight to make it through to the semi-final 15-14 after trailing Italy’s Giorgio Avola 8-14. UK’s Richard Kruse prevented an all-American semi-final, when he defeated Gerek Meinhardt 15-13 in the quarter-final. Russian Timur Safin, who lost the semi against Garozzo 8-15, narrowly edged out Kruse in the bronze medal match 15 -13.