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Alexander Massialas

HOMETOWN: 
San Francisco, Calif.

BIRTH DATE: 
April 20, 1994

BIRTHPLACE: 
San Francisco, Calif.

OLYMPIC TEAMS: 
2020
2016
2012

Event: Foil
Birthplace: San Francisco, Calif.
Current Residence: San Francisco, Calif.
College: Bachelor's in engineering from Stanford University (2017)
High School: Drew School (2012)
Club: Massialas Foundation (M Team)
Coach: Greg Massialas (father) 
Hobbies: Basketball, soccer, music and watching sports
Most People Don't Know That... Alexander speaks Chinese

Olympic Teams: 2020 (Bronze - Team), 2016 (Silver - Individual, Bronze - Team), 2012

Senior World Championship Teams: 2023, 2022 (Silver - Team), 2019 (Gold - Team), 2018 (Silver - Team), 2017 (Silver - Team), 2015 (Silver - Individual), 2014, 2013 (Silver - Team), 2011, 2010, 2009


Personal: The son of three-time Olympian Greg Massialas, Alexander has become one of the most successful men's foil fencers in U.S. history, winning silver in the individual event at the 2016 Olympic Games and anchoring the United States to bronze in the team competition. In 2019, the U.S. Men's Foil Team made history again, winning its first-ever Senior World Championship gold. 

The Massialas family had three members at the Games in Tokyo with Greg coaching the U.S. Men's Foil Team and younger sister Sabrina competing in the women's foil team event.  

Alexander became the youngest athlete ever to win a men's foil Division I National Championship at age 16 in 2010 — a year after competing on his first Senior World Team at 15. Alexander grew up watching fencing and says that when his father started the Massialas Foundation, he decided to take up the sport at age seven.

Alexander credits his coaches with being the greatest influences on his fencing career: "My father has been there throughout my whole career.  He and my other coach, Dean Hinton, have been there for every step."

Notable results:

  • Four-time NCAA All-American (2017, 2015, 2014, 2013)
  • First U.S. foil fencer to win an individual silver medal at the Olympic Games since 1932
  • First U.S. man to win two medals at the same Olympic Games since 1904
  • First U.S. foil fencer to win an individual silver medal at Senior Worlds (2015)
  • Member of first U.S. Men's Foil Team to win a medal at Senior Worlds (silver in 2013)
  • Member of the first U.S. Men's Foil Team to win a Senior World Championship title (2019)
  • Member of the first men's foil team from any nation to win all five World Cups in a single season
  • Youngest male member of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team from any sport
  • Finished the 2022-23 season ranked No. 1 in the world.