Bronx resident Daryl Homer became the first American in 112 years to win a silver medal in men’s individual sabre Wednesday night at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
Ranked 10th in the world in men’s sabre, Homer lost the gold to Hungary’s Aron Szilagyi in a 15-8 match.
Homer took to Twitter after his silver-medal performance to thank his supporters.
Thank you all. Beyond humbled. This is a win for US.
— Daryl Homer (@DarylDHomer) August 11, 2016
Mayor Bill de Blasio, quick to draw attention to Homer's Bronx roots, chimed in congratulating the St. John's University graduate via tweet.
NYC celebrating history: @DarylDhomer immigrant, Bronx native, is first American to win individual silver in men’s sabre in 112 years.
— Bill de Blasio (@BilldeBlasio) August 11, 2016
The 26-year-old New Yorker, who was born in the Virgin Islands, got his start in fencing through the Peter Westbrook Foundation, an organization spreading the sport's gospel among underserved children in the New York metropolitan area, according to a USA Today article.
His mother took him there after watching a commercial in their Bronx home that featured Westbrook, an Olympic bronze medalist, fencing with another black athlete, the Wall Street Journal previously reported. Homer had already expressed interest, marveling over an image of two fencers in a children's dictionary at age 5.
The Olympian now trains at the Fencers Club in Chelsea. Homer is one of 10 New York residents competing in this year's games.
Go ahead and marvel over his fencing form in the commercial below:
