In the entire history of women’s fencing, no American athlete has ever earned a medal in the individual foil competition. That all changed thanks to Lee Keifer’s remarkable effort and extraordinary performance.
Competing at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Keifer achieved the impossible: earning her way onto the podium for the first time in history. And she did it by winning the gold.
It was not an easy path to victory, with Keifer having to win several tense matches just to reach the finals. When she did, she found herself squaring off against the reigning world champion.
Inna Deriglazova of Russia was the clear favorite going into the match, but that did not matter to Keifer. With expert skill and precision, she methodically scored points throughout the first round.
It was a tense, back-and-forth affair, with neither competitor managing to build an insurmountable lead. Each time Keifer scored, Deriglazova would come right back with a point of her own.
It was truly a match worthy of the Olympic finals. Point after point, the women parried and struck, getting closer and closer to that 15-point total that leads to victory.
Finally, in the second round, it happened. With the score 14-13, Keifer stepped back and then thrust forward, scoring the final point and earning the Olympic gold. She made history.
