Who is Lee Kiefer? Meet the Two-Time Olympic Champion in Women’s Individual Foil

Lee Kiefer is a renowned American foil fencer who has achieved remarkable success in her sport.

She is a two-time Olympic gold medalist in women’s individual foil, winning at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and again at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Early Life and Education

Kiefer was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and grew up in Lexington, Kentucky. Her mother, Teresa, is a psychiatrist who immigrated from the Philippines, and her father, Steve, is a neurosurgeon and former captain of the Duke University fencing team.

Kiefer graduated from Paul Laurence Dunbar High School in 2012 and went on to attend the University of Notre Dame, where she was a standout fencer.

She graduated in 2017 and is now a medical student at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine.

Fencing Career

Kiefer began fencing at a young age, influenced by her family’s strong connection to the sport. She earned a bronze medal in women’s foil at the 2011 World Fencing Championships and placed 5th at the 2012 London Olympics.

By 2014, she was climbing the World Cup podium and won the NCAA Fencing National Championships the same year.

In 2017, Kiefer achieved the top spot in the FIE world rankings, becoming the first American woman to do so.

She won her first Olympic gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, defeating defending champion Inna Deriglazova with a score of 15–13.

Her victory marked the first time an American won gold in individual foil fencing.

Kiefer continued her dominance in the sport by securing her second Olympic gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, defeating fellow American Lauren Scruggs in the final.

Personal Life

Kiefer and fellow foil fencer Gerek Meinhardt began dating in January 2012.

They got engaged in January 2018 and married in September 2019.

Both are currently medical students at the University of Kentucky, having taken a break from their studies to focus on their Olympic careers.