Medical Student Lee Kiefer Wins Team USA's First-Ever Fencing Gold Medal for Individual Foil

Maria Pasquini
·2 min read
Gold medalist Lee Kiefer of Team United States poses on the podium during the medal ceremony for the Women's Foil Individual Fencing Gold Medal event on day two of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Makuhari Messe Hall on July 25, 2021 in Chiba, Japan.
Gold medalist Lee Kiefer of Team United States poses on the podium during the medal ceremony for the Women's Foil Individual Fencing Gold Medal event on day two of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Makuhari Messe Hall on July 25, 2021 in Chiba, Japan.
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Elsa/Getty Lee Kiefer

A historic win.

Fencer Lee Kiefer, who is also a medical student at the University of Kentucky, made Team USA proud on Sunday, picking up their first-ever fencing gold medal for individual foil, winning 15-13.

Even more impressive? The 27-year-old athlete won against Inna Deriglazova of the Russian Olympic Committee, who came into the Tokyo Summer Olympics ranked No. 1 in the world.

After taking an early lead, Deriglazova evened things up at 12-12, before Kiefer was able to win by scoring three out of the next four points.

"What just happened?'' she said afterwards, according to USA Today.

Lee Kiefer of Team United States celebrates after winning the Women's Foil Individual Fencing semifinal 2 against Larisa Korobeynikova of Team ROC on day two of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Makuhari Messe Hall on July 25, 2021 in Chiba, Japan.
Lee Kiefer of Team United States celebrates after winning the Women's Foil Individual Fencing semifinal 2 against Larisa Korobeynikova of Team ROC on day two of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Makuhari Messe Hall on July 25, 2021 in Chiba, Japan.

Matthias Hangst/Getty Lee Kiefer

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Kiefer also got a big congratulations from her husband — a fellow medical student and Team USA fencer.

"My wife just made my #Olympics dream complete," Gerek Meinhardt, ​a four-time Olympian who's currently ranked No. 2 in the world, wrote on Twitter alongside a photo of the pair posing with her gold medal.

"Words can't describe how bad she wanted this, how hard she worked, or how proud of her I am," he added. "Thank you ALL for the incredible words of support. We felt each one of them. @TeamUSA @USAFencing HISTORY!!!"

Kiefer, who failed to medal in the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, withdrew from medical school earlier this year in order to prepare for the Tokyo Olympics, per USA Today. However, she plans on going back to school in March.

As for how she was feeling after her win she said she wished she could "chop it up in little pieces and distribute it to everyone that I love."

To learn more about Team USA, visit TeamUSA.org. Watch the Tokyo Olympics now on NBC.