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| Filipino American Lee Kiefer, left, earns her second gold medal in the 2024 Paris Olympics with her teammates. |
It was not hard to spot Lee Kiefer as she stood with her teammates receiving the gold medal for fencing. She was the shortest and the slightest. And she was crying as the National Anthem played.
The team medal, Kiefer said, was “everything.”
She had remained poised when she received the gold medal for individual foil Sunday night in Paris.
“After the first individual, I knew there was still work to be done,” Kiefer said. She had defended her Tokyo gold medal with another gold medal in Paris. But she was more emotional this time. “Being here with my teammates, it’s the first time I can take it all in.”
“After the first individual, I knew there was still work to be done,” Kiefer said. She had defended her Tokyo gold medal with another gold medal in Paris. But she was more emotional this time. “Being here with my teammates, it’s the first time I can take it all in.”
Kiefer continued: “A team medal for this Olympic Games was my true dream. I think (in) individual there’s a lot of factors and momentum and luck, but as a team, every bout, we’ve put in so many hours of work together.”
The Filipino American fencer became the first American fencer to win three Olympic gold medals as the United States won the team fencing gold in women’s foil, a historic first.
"I met my goals in fencing," said Kiefer, who paused her medical school studies at the Universitiy of Kentucky to train for the Olympics.
Kiefer shares the medal with teammates Lauren Scruggs, Jacqueline Dubrovich and Maia Weintraub.
The Filipino American fencer became the first American fencer to win three Olympic gold medals as the United States won the team fencing gold in women’s foil, a historic first.
"I met my goals in fencing," said Kiefer, who paused her medical school studies at the Universitiy of Kentucky to train for the Olympics.
Kiefer shares the medal with teammates Lauren Scruggs, Jacqueline Dubrovich and Maia Weintraub.
Kiefer got things started playing against the pro-Italy crowd as well as the fencer opposite her. She lost the first two points — and then took complete control. She got the Americans a 5-4 advantage.
In the last match, 21-eyar old Harvard student Scruggs faced a late rally from Italy’s Arianna Errigo, seeded No. 1, who cut an eight-point US lead to three, but Scruggs took the next three points to close out the win and celebrated with a shout of delight.
The final score was 45-39, US over w Italy. At the medal ceremony, Thursday night, Kiefer cried from the start of the anthem until the end.
In the last match, 21-eyar old Harvard student Scruggs faced a late rally from Italy’s Arianna Errigo, seeded No. 1, who cut an eight-point US lead to three, but Scruggs took the next three points to close out the win and celebrated with a shout of delight.
The final score was 45-39, US over w Italy. At the medal ceremony, Thursday night, Kiefer cried from the start of the anthem until the end.
EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X or at the blog Views From the Edge
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