In 2004, the US Men’s Foil team of Dan Kellner, Jon Tiomkin, Jed Dupree, and reserve Gregory Chang knocked off #2 seed Germany in the quarter-finals of the Olympics and ended up placing 4th. Their 4th place finish was the best for a US Men’s Foil team since the 1950s and sparked the USA’s climb to become a fencing power.

Here’s what I had to say about the Olympic results then:

USA: Strong future in fencing The USA has had its strongest combined showing at the Olympics since the middle ages, 1956. The Men’s Sabre Team and the Men’s Foil Team placed fourth. These are great placements, usually reserved for the traditional fencing superpowers. There is very little room at the top, and every high result must displace a long-time occupant. This year, the USA tied Germany for medals, and also knocked them out of Men’s Foil Team.

Here’s a look at the video of the final bout between the US and Germany. Enjoy: