American Fencing's Greatest Day Jeff Bukantz November 3, 2005 August 17, 2004 was the single greatest day in the history of United States fencing. After failing to win an Olympic fencing medal since 1984, and winning only two bronzes since 1960, American fencers equaled a half a century of success in just one evening at the women's saber competition.   As the United States Olympic Fencing Team Captain, I was fortunate enough to be along for the ride and have a bird's eye view of history. (Who knows, by the time I have grandchildren, the story might be that Grandpa actually won the medal!)   The first medal won for the Americans that evening in Athens was by the favorite going in, Sada Jacobson of Dunwoody, Georgia. Sada rebounded from a heartbreaking loss in the semifinal bout to China's Tan to soundly defeat Romania's Gheoritoaia 15-7.   While Sada put an inordinate amount of pressure on herself to win the gold, she showed tremendous fighting spirit by pulling herself together for the consolation prize. An Olympic bronze medal: a consolation prize? No way!   About a half an hour later, Mariel Zagunis of Portland, Oregon had to face Jacobson's conqueror and 2002 World Champion, Tan, for the Gold.   With a worldwide television audience watching, and a rowdy American contingent rooting her on in the packed arena, Zagunis did something no American fencer had done in a hundred years, she won the Olympic Gold Medal!   I led the team past the security guards, we ran onto the fencing strip, and, as is the custom, threw our Olympic Champion into the rarified air three times.   It was a moment that will forever be etched in our memories, and can never be exactly duplicated. However, starting on Monday, November 7, 2005, this once-in-a-lifetime moment for Zagunis and the entire American fencing community will be documented for all to see.   On that day, the Showtime network will air the premiere of renowned Olympic Historian Bud Greenspan's film on the 2004 Athens Games. It will be Greenspan's eighth Olympic documentary.   Greenspan delves into the stories of numerous Olympians in the hour and a half tour de force. There is the usual dose of "thrill of victory and agony of defeat" stuff, but what makes Greenspan's work so special is that he captures the human element in each vignette.   After a short opening, the first segment focuses on the incredible story of Mariel Zagunis.   What makes her story incredible is that Zagunis initially did not qualify for the Olympics. At the last qualifying event, a World Cup in Italy, she had to reach the top two to qualify. In the semifinal bout, she drew, of all people, Sada Jacobson. Mariel led Sada 14-12 and needed only one more touch to win the bout and make the Olympic Team. But, Sada scored the last three touches to win the bout and knock Zagunis off the team. There was one other "fringe" benefit for Jacobson in that victory, as it also qualified her younger sister Emily for the team. And, it no doubt allowed Sada to keep her seat at the Jacobson family's Thanksgiving dinner table.   Zagunis was crushed. However, in the outside chance that a fencer withdrew from the Olympics due to injury or other reason, she continued to train. That hard work paid off, as Mariel had great success at subsequent World Cups after the qualifying period was over, and attained the #4 ranking in the world.   However, despite the lofty ranking, she was still out of the Games. At the United States National Championships in late April in Atlanta, the US Olympic Team was officially announced and press photos were taken. As there was still an outside chance that Mariel could get in as an alternate, we took two Team photos: One was without Mariel, and the second with her.   The normally jovial Zagunis, whose smile illuminates a dark room, was not herself that day. She was basically, "Dead Woman Walking." It made all of us on the team want to cry and give her a big hug.   Shortly after the sad day in Atlanta, that famous smile returned when it was announced that a Nigerian saber fencer was withdrawn from Athens, and Mariel would replace her. Now, out of nowhere, Zagunis went from obscurity to a full-fledged member of the US Olympic Team.   Just by making it to Athens, she was playing with the casino's money. All of the pressure was on the #1 ranked Sada Jacobson, which allowed Mariel to sort of fly below the radar.   On August 17, 2004, this young lady who was about to enter the University of Notre Dame went from obscurity to immortality.   And, on November 7, 2005, Showtime's presentation of Bud Greenspan's film will document this historic event for posterity.