Former Notre Dame fencing star Lee Kiefer becomes first U.S. woman to win two Olympic gold medals in individual foil

Lee Kiefer made history on Sunday in Paris following her 15-6 victory over fellow American Lauren Scruggs in the women’s individual foil fencing finals in Paris. Taking home her second-straight gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics and becoming the first U.S. woman to win two Olympic gold medals in individual foil.

Sunday also marked the first time ever that the United States had two women in the individual foil finals.

Kiefer was born in Cleveland, Ohio and raised in Lexington, Kentucky, a decorated fencer at Notre Dame in her college career where she won five NCAA championships before graduating in 2017. Also currently a medical student at the University of Kentucky alongside her husband Gerek Meinhardt who also will be competing in the Summer Olympics in Paris in fencing for the United States.

“I really want to defend my gold medal,” Kiefer told Town & Country heading into the Olympics. “I think I can do it. I need to set myself up mentally and physically. In the greater scheme of things, fencing is up and down, but even week to week, month to month, our bodies are going through these cycles.” She adds, “in terms of pressure, I don’t owe it to anyone to get another gold medal, but I freaking want to do it.”

Kiefer’s second gold medal win makes the four-time Olympian the most decorated female fencer in U.S. history. Also taking home six Grand Prix gold medals, five World Cup gold medals, and 12 gold medals at the Pan American Championship for individual women’s foil in her career.

“I really wanted to put on a good show because my family’s here and they wanted to be there in Tokyo,” Kiefer said following her victory. “I just wanted to be able to fence pretty and the results came.”

In the delayed 2020 Tokyo Games held in 2021 Kiefer became the first American, male or female, to win the gold medal in Olympic individual foil. Defeating Russian defending champion Inna Deriglazova in a 15–13 final.

After her successful gold medal defense, Kiefer will now look to help lead Team USA to a gold medal in the women’s foil team event alongside Scruggs and others, which begins on August 1 with a matchup against China.

“We have been working together for the past year just to be prepared for this moment,” Kiefer said. “I’m just proud of our effort and I think we’re as ready as we can be.”