Fencer and Filipina American Lee Keifer became the first American woman to win a gold medal in individual foil Sunday.
NBC Sports reports she defeated Russia’s Inna Deriglazova by two points to unseat the reigning Olympic champion.
She appeared in disbelief.
“What just happened?’’ she said, according to USA Today. “What just happened?’’
Gerek Meinhardt, a member of the US Men’s Fencing Team, intensely watched the close match.
“I was here at the venue all day with her,’’ he told USA TODAY Sports. “I was doing everything I could to help her out and keep her focused.’’
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According to the Indy Star, the 27 year old is a four time NCAA champion from Notre Dame and a three time Olympian. She is currently in medical school at the University of Kentucky.
Her father Steve was a fencing captain at Duke, her sister Alex won an NCAA championship at Harvard and her brother Axel has competed at junior worlds.
“It’s such an incredible feeling that I share with my coach, I share with my husband, with my family, just everyone that’s been a part of this,” Kiefer said. “I wish I could chop it up in little pieces and distributed it to everyone I love.”
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