An Inside Look Into the Life of an Olympic Fencer

As spectators of the Olympic Games, we've heard stories about the Zika virus, poor living conditions, polluted water, and a police force on the verge of a strike, but what is it like to actually be an Olympic athlete in Rio right now? Below we follow athletes Dagmara Wozniak and Monica Aksamit of the U.S. Women's Saber Fencing Team as they make their way to the biggest stage of their careers.

To achieve mastery of a sport, it is said that one must diligently practice for an accumulation of 10,000 hours. At a rate of 3 practice hours per day, this would take around 9 years of perseverance, determination and sweat to accomplish. You've put in the time. You've fueled, trained and recovered, and you've emphasizing every detail. You've triumphed in success and learned from failures, and now you are an Olympic athlete en route to Rio...

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