

Russia’s Alexey Yakimenko, left, tops American Daryl Homer for men’s saber gold at the world championships. (EPA/SERGEI ILNITSKY)

Daryl Homer started fencing in New York when he was 10. Now the world’s 10th-ranked player, he’s become the first American to win a senior world fencing championships men’s saber medal by claiming silver Wednesday.

Homer overcame a 13-11 deficit to advance to the final with a 15-14 victory in Moscow.

To get to that point, Homer beat top-seeded Bongil Gu of South Korea, 15-11, in the quarterfinal.

In the semis, Homer’s opponent — Romanian Tiberiu Dolniceanu — staked an early lead but fell and tweaked his ankle. Homer took advantage by winning the final two points of the bout. He won the final point with a leaping parry repost, knocking his opponent’s saber to the side and striking him in one motion.

Russian Alexey Yakimenko beat Homer for gold, 15-5, soon after.

Homer had narrowly beaten Yakimenko in the 2012 Olympics as the youngest male saber fencer on the American team, but Yakimenko grabbed a commanding lead Wednesday and held on in front of a largely pro-Russian crowd.

Homer was the youngest competitor to finish in the top five in the world championships.