PARIS (AP/WDRB) — Lee Kiefer became the first American fencer to win three Olympic gold medals as the U.S. got its first-ever team fencing gold in women's team foil at the Paris Olympics.
The team of two-time individual gold medalist Kiefer, silver medalist Lauren Scruggs, Jacqueline Dubrovich and Maia Weintraub held on for a 45-39 win over Italy in the gold-medal bout.
Scruggs faced a late rally from Italy's Arianna Errigo, who cut an eight-point U.S. lead to three. But the 21-year-old took the next three points to close out the win and celebrated with a shout of delight.
Kiefer, a Lexington native, also won 15-6 in Sunday's final against Scruggs and celebrated by pirouetting down the piste in joy. Her gold medal is the fifth of all time in an individual event for a U.S. fencer. She follows Mariel Zagunis in 2004 and 2008 as the only American fencers to win gold in the same event twice.
Kiefer took home the gold in Tokyo, as well.Â
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Copyright 2024 WDRB Media. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. Â
