Lee Kiefer became the first American woman to win a gold medal in the women's individual foil event and earned Team USA's first fencing medal of the Tokyo games. She defeated reigning Olympic champion Inna Deriglazova 15-13 to capture her first career Olympic medal after finishing fifth in London.
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Kiefer was well-paced in her attacks and ambitious when creating scoring opportunities. In the rounds leading up to the gold-medal match she was a force to be reckoned with, pulling out a clutch 15-13 victory over Canadian Eleanor Harvey in the round of 16 before dominating the semifinal match against Larisa Korobeynikova. Kiefer only needed on period to down the eventual bronze medalist 15-6.
The gold medal is the ninth total medal for Team USA and the first ever won by any American in an individual foil event. Kiefer joins teammate Mariel Zagunis, who won gold in women's individual sabre in 2004 and 2008, to be the only American women to win an individual gold medal in fencing.
