Notre Dame Fencing Olympic Updates

DAY THREE

Itkin Wins Bronze!

The Fighting Irish had a fencer on the podium for the third straight day, as Nick Itkin captured the bronze medal in men’s individual foil with a 15-12 decision in the third-place bout.

The Los Angeles native becomes the sixth men’s foilist to reach the podium at the Olympics in history and is just the second to do it in the last 60 years.

On the way to the bronze medal, Itkin outlasted Italy’s Guillaume Bianchi in the quarterfinals, winning a thriller by a score of 15-14.

Itkin is a two-time individual foil NCAA national champion, winning the titles in 2018 and 2019 during his Notre Dame tenure.

Meinhardt and Skarbonkiewicz Compete in Paris

Two other Notre Dame fencers took to the strips on Monday at the iconic Grand Palais. Meinhardt won his opening bout in the Round of 32 in the men’s individual foil competition, posting a score of 15-7 over China’s Haiwei Chen. He then bowed out in the Round of 16 to France’s Enzo Lefort.

In women’s individual sabre Magda Skarbonkiewicz made her Olympic debut at the age of just 18. Skarbonkiewicz fell in the Round of 32 to Turkey’s Nisanur Erbil. Skarbonkiewicz was the youngest fencer on Team USA’s roster for the 2024 Olympic Games and will be entering her freshman year at Notre Dame this upcoming 2024-25 season.

DAY TWO

Kiefer Does It Again!

One of the most decorated athletes in US fencing history, Lee Kiefer further cemented her legacy as an all-time great on Sunday, successfully defending her Olympic title, winning her second straight gold medal in women’s individual foil.

The 2017 Notre Dame graduate put on a masterclass performance over the competition, culminating in a 15-6 victory in the gold medal bout over fellow American Lauren Scruggs.

Kiefer becomes the second American fencer to win multiple individual gold medals, tying another Notre Dame great Mariel Zagunis who won back-to-back gold medals in women’s individual sabre at the 2004 Athens Games and 2008 Beijing Games.

Kiefer captured her first Olympic gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, becoming the first US woman to ever win gold in individual foil.

The foil specialist was a four-time individual NCAA national champion, claiming the title every year she competed for the Fighting Irish. Kiefer also led Notre Dame to the team national title in 2017, her final season with the program.

Lee Kiefer’s Olympic Gold Medal Press Conference Transcript

On winning gold…

 It’s so special to have my family (here), all my best friends who I haven’t even seen. 

On the pressure she felt to defend her Tokyo 2020 gold medal…

No matter how much I tried to prepare, there’s still so much pressure I put on myself to just fence well and stay present. Each day was a rollercoaster, but here we are at the top.

On the venue…

I competed here once at the 2010 world championships. I was 16 years old. Nothing compares to it.

On what coach said after gold match…

He’s so proud. We’ve been working together for 20 years now and I’m like his daughter. He’s like my dad. We’ve yelled at each other. We’ve grown together and I’m really grateful to have him as my person.

On what she’d like to say to Notre Dame supporters…

Go Irish, of course. My Notre Dame coach, my Notre Dame family, they have always been there for me, and they were a huge, huge part of making a jump in my career and confidence.

 

Berthier Competes In Second Olympics

2023 Notre Dame graduate Amita Berthier also competed in Sunday’s women’s individual foil, marking her second-straight Olympic Games appearance. Representing Singapore, Berthier fell in the Round of 32 in a hard-fought bout against Scruggs by a score of 15-13. Scruggs went on to earn silver.

DAY ONE

Muhari Brings Home The Bronze!

Current Notre Dame student athlete Eszter Muhari opened the games in thrilling fashion, making a run to the women’s individual epee semifinals before winning the bronze medal bout to make the podium for Hungary in her first Olympic appearance. Muhari outlasted Estonia’s Nelli Differt in a thriller to capture the bronze, winning by a score of 15-14.

Muhari is no stranger to early success, as she won the 2023 NCAA individual epee title in her freshman season, also leading the Fighting Irish to the team national title.