US women's fencing defeats Italy to win first-ever team gold medal in Olympics
Lauren Scruggs holds on to score final touch to win gold
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The United States women's foil team made history at the 2024 Paris Olympics on Thursday by defeating the dominant Italian team to win gold for the very first time.
Italy had won four of the last six gold medals in this team event, but when Queens native Lauren Scruggs got the final touch on Arianna Errigo, she was in total shock that she and her teammates had just made history.
Scruggs, the silver medalist in the foil individual final, Lee Kiefer, who defeated her teammate to win individual gold, Maia Weintraub and Jacqueline Dubrovich were crying tears of joy as they embraced after the 45-39 victory.
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Lauren Scruggs of Team USA competes against Alice Volpi of Italy in the women's team foil gold medal match during the Summer Olympics at the Grand Palais in Paris on Thursday. (Katie Goodale-USA TODAY Sports)
The anchor leg of Scruggs and Errigo was a thrilling finish to this fantastic gold-medal duel.
AMERICAN LEE KIEFER TOPS TEAMMATE LAUREN SCRUGGS FOR GOLD IN INDIVIDUAL FOIL
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Thanks to Weintraub building a gap against Francesca Palumbo to make it 35-26, then Kiefer sustaining it after making it 40-32 against Alice Volpi, Scruggs knew she had to score five more touches to win gold.
But the veteran Errigo would not make it easy on her. Errigo got the score back within three touches as Scruggs continued to talk to herself to find out how to get her foil on the Italian first.
Maia Weintraub of Team USA, right, competes in the women's team foil gold medal match during the Summer Olympics at the Grand Palais in Paris on Thursday. ( Katie Goodale-USA TODAY Sports)
A bold move came when Scruggs sprinted at Errigo while up 42-39, and her foil touched to finally get a point the United States’ way.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Errigo had some touches on Scruggs, but they were offline and the American took advantage by scoring the final four touches to capture gold.
Team USA's Maia Weintraub, left, high-fives Lauren Scruggs in the women's team foil gold medal match during the Summer Olympics at the Grand Palais in Paris on Thursday. (Katie Goodale-USA TODAY Sports)
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It was an all-around team effort to get the job done against this Italian group, and their exceptional efforts will go down in the history books in Paris.
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