Lauren Scruggs was feeling the pressure as she anchored the U.S. team in the women’s team foil event at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games. Her teammates watched anxiously as she struggled to score more points. She didn’t want to let them down or blow the chance for the U.S. to win gold.
“Yeah, I was super stressed,” Scruggs admitted. “It would suck to lose that way, you know?” Despite her nerves, Scruggs dug deep and made history by securing the gold medal in women’s team foil. She also helped her teammate Lee Kiefer achieve a record third career gold, the most ever for an American fencer. To achieve this, the U.S. team had to defeat the top-ranked Italy, who had kept them off the podium in Tokyo three years ago.
The Italians, with Martina Favaretto, Arianna Errigo, and Alice Volpi in the top five of the world rankings, were determined to win gold. But the U.S. women were more prepared and calm. Kiefer mentioned, “I felt like we were so much more prepared.” The U.S. team, led by Kiefer and Scruggs, has been gaining strength on the international stage. So far in Paris, they have won a national record four medals and two golds.
During the intense team foil final match, veteran Jacqueline Dubrovich got the U.S. team off to a strong start, and Maia Weintraub provided crucial rounds. Despite a late run by Errigo, Scruggs remained focused, turning the tide in favor of the U.S. With patience and determination, she scored three consecutive touches, leading to a 45-39 victory over Italy.
In that critical moment, Scruggs proved that she was not the person who let her country down. She fought through the pressure and secured a historic gold for the U.S. women’s fencing team at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games. #USWomensFencing #TeamFoilGold #ParisOlympics2024 #FencingChampions #WomenInSports