Women’s individual foil gold medalist Lee Kiefer of the United States (center) joins silver medalist Lauren Scruggs of the United States (left) and bronze medalist Eleanor Harvey of Canada during the Paris Olympics on Sunday Celebrate on the podium.
Andrew Medicini/AP
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Andrew Medicini/AP
U.S. fencers Lee Kiefer and Lauren Scruggs made Olympic history individually and together in Sunday’s women’s individual foil competition.
Kiefer, 30, of Lexington, Ky., defeated Scruggs 15-6 to win his second consecutive Olympic foil gold medal. The victory made Kiefer the first American woman to win two individual Olympic foil gold medals.
Meanwhile, Scruggs, a 21-year-old Harvard student from Queens, New York, won her first medal – a silver – in her Olympic debut. She also became the first black fencer to win an Olympic medal for the United States in the women’s individual event. Associated Press the report said.
This is the first time in Olympic history that two American women have shared the podium in the women’s individual foil event. The last time an American fencer reached the podium was in the women’s individual saber event at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.
Canada’s Eleanor Harvey won the bronze medal, Canada’s first Olympic medal in fencing.
On Sunday, Kiefer said she was stunned by her feat.
“I didn’t realize it was happening just because it was a long day with a lot of highs and lows. But here we are making history and it’s awesome. Thank you to all my loved ones in America cheering, all My loved ones who are here, this is for you,” she told Olympics.com.
Kiefer started fencing at the age of five and won a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics. In addition to fencing, Kiefer is also a medical student at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine. She is also married to Team USA fencer Gerek Meinhardt.
After Kiefer’s win, Meinhardt wrote on the X: “Words can’t express how proud I am of her…I know she can do it.”
My incredible wife is a two-time Olympic champion!
Words can’t express how proud I am of her…I know she can do this. She knows she can do it. But actually did the damn thing, and did it twice, in two completely different contexts… pic.twitter.com/7TgudsuCRw
— Gerek Meinhardt (@GerekMeinhardt) July 28, 2024
After winning the silver medal, Scruggs said she was “more pleased than disappointed” with her performance.
“I think it was shocking for me to be here in the first place, so I honestly don’t even think I had time to process the loss. It’s just shocking and very grateful,” she told The Associated Press.
