Fencing

Lee Kiefer

Olympian 2012, 2016, 2020, 2024

Lee Kiefer
  • 3

    GOLD

  • 0

    SILVER

  • 0

    BRONZE

Athlete Bio#

Lee Kiefer exclaims as she holds up on American flag

Height

5'4"

Age

30

Hometown

Lexington, KY

Education

University of Kentucky

Personal
  • Daughter of Teresa and Steve Kiefer, who captained the Duke University fencing team
  • Has one younger brother, Axel, and one older sister, Alex, who have both competed in foil fencing

  • Married to fellow Team USA fencer, Gerek Meinhardt

  • Began fencing at age 5

  • Was the youngest member of the 2009 U.S. Senior World Foil Team

  • Was the only athlete in the world to have earned individual podium finishes at the senior, junior and cadet world championships (2011)

  • Became the first American woman to earn the No. 1 foil ranking (2017)

  • Completed two and a half years of medical school at the University of Kentucky during the leadup to the Tokyo Games

Olympic Experience
  • 4-time Olympian; 3-time Olympic medalist (3 gold)
    • Olympic Games Paris 2024, gold (Individual Foil - Women, Team Foil - Women)
    • Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, gold (Individual Foil - Women), 4th (Team Foil - Women)
    • Olympic Games Rio de Janeiro 2016, 10th (Individual Foil - Women)
    • Olympic Games London 2012, 5th (Individual Foil - Women), 6th (Team Foil - Women)
World Championships Experience
  • Most recent: 2023 – bronze (Individual Foil - Women), 4th (Team Foil - Women)
  • Years of participation: Individual Foil - Women 2008, 2009, 2009, 2010, 2010, 2011, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023; Team Foil - Women 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023
  • Medals: 11 (2 gold, 4 silver, 5 bronze)
    • Gold – 2018 (Team Foil - Women); 2010 (Individual Foil - Women)
    • Silver – 2022 (Team Foil - Women); 2017 (Team Foil - Women); 2011 (Individual Foil - Women); 2009 (Individual Foil - Women)
    • Bronze – 2023 (Individual Foil - Women); 2022 (Individual Foil - Women); 2019 (Team Foil - Women); 2011 (Individual Foil - Women); 2008 (Individual Foil - Women)
Other Career Highlights
  • 2019 Pan American Games, gold (individual, team)
  • 2015 Pan American Games, gold (individual); silver (team)
  • 2011 Pan American Games, gold (individual, team)

Athlete News#

Lee on Set #

4 photos

Lee Kiefer Videos#

Lee Kiefer: The First-Ever American Gold Medalist in Individual Foil#

8 photos

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