The 2024 Paris Olympics have been an absolute thrill to watch. The storytelling has been impressive, from the captivating Celine Dion opening to the current track and field events. The coverage surpasses that of the 2021 Tokyo Games, which Covid and a problematic Peacock Network rollout marred. There’s plenty to write about, too. I could write about the greatest of all time, Simone Biles, and her legendary comeback performance. I could write about Katie Ledecky (the most decorated female US Olympian ever) and other established stars. Maybe a rising star like Quincy Wilson in track. There is even the (non) controversy surrounding the women’s boxing match between Algeria and Italy. Women’s boxing deserves a better limelight for their sport.
US Olympic Fencing
I prefer to shine some light on a more niche sport. The Olympics allows fans who have never followed certain sports to get engaged in the obscure and root for their country even if they are naïve about the sporting rules. In the ten days since the Olympics began, I have watched surfing (which is in Tahiti), badminton, equestrian, and even table tennis. But the US Olympic Fencing team caught my eye, and they will get the spotlight treatment.
Now, bear with me. Before this article, my fencing knowledge extended only to the scenes in the Disney/Marvel show Hawkeye. The Olympics are great because sometimes you can just click around and find yourself watching greatness. This US women’s foil team epitomizes that feeling. More on that in a minute.
Fencing 101
Rudimentary knowledge for the uninitiated goes something like this: There are three fencing techniques that someone can master. Those are the epee, foil, and sabre (the Olympic team consists of 20 fencers split into these groups). Epee fencing is said to be the easiest, while foil has a smaller target radius and requires more precision to score. Most people think of foil technique when they think of fencing. The sabre technique consists of more of a slashing motion for points versus the other two.
The Women’s Foil Team is a group of four. Lee Kiefer, considered one of the greatest fencers in US history, is in her fourth Olympics. Lauren Scruggs, a Harvard senior and Queens native is in her first Olympics. Jackie Dubrovich is in her second Olympics. The alternate is Maia Weintraub from Philadelphia. This group captured gold for the first time in US Olympic fencing history.
The Gold Medal Match
As so it goes, I happened upon the gold medal Foil match against the favored Italian team. Italy knocked out the US in the bronze medal match of the Tokyo Games. Italy was also ranked number one this year, led by European champion Alice Volpi.
The crowds sound so loud during Olympic finals matchups. I can only imagine the anxiety levels creeping up, the adrenaline pumping, the high stakes involved. Few, if any, prognosticators projected the US to win the team gold. But they had a solid chance. The previous day was an All-American final in the women’s foil, with Kiefer defeating Scruggs for the gold medal. On this day, Kiefer, Dubrovich, and Weintraub helped build a huge lead. As the Italian team began to make a big comeback, Scruggs was finally able to close the door and complete the upset. The US won on points, 45-39.
Lauren Scruggs, a black woman, is the first fencing gold medalist in Harvard history. Lee Kiefer is now the most decorated foil fencer in US history. The celebration brought excitement to someone who had never watched competitive fencing before. That’s what the Olympics is all about.
Other Sports
As of this writing, no American man has won individual gold in a sport. Thank you to the ladies for running up our gold medal count. Yes, I am watching the main sports, and my bread and butter, Team USA Basketball, is handling business as expected. They have had a soft grouping, so there will be more intrigue as they reach the knockout stage. Meanwhile, I’ll check out men’s water polo and the upcoming breakdancing competition.
Photo Credit for featured cover image: Getty Images.
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