Kiefer earns 2nd Olympic gold in women's foil fencing with a victory over American teammate Scruggs

PARIS (AP) — Lee Kiefer won back-to-back gold medals in foil fencing and her teammate Lauren Scruggs took the silver Sunday to make history as the first Black fencer to win an Olympic medal in an individual women's event for the United States.

Kiefer won 15-6 in the final against Scruggs and celebrated by pirouetting down the piste in joy. Knowing the U.S. anthem would play after the final no matter what “took the pressure off,” Kiefer said.

The vocal crowd in the cavernous Grand Palais was a huge contrast to the hushed, empty venue in Chiba, Japan, where Kiefer won her first Olympic gold three years ago under pandemic restrictions.

Kiefer dedicated her win to Buckie Leach, who coached her to gold in Tokyo but died 20 days later in a motorcycle accident. “He would be so happy for me,” she said. “This one’s for him. I even have a picture of him on my wall in the village.”

Kiefer’s gold medal is the fifth in an individual event for a U.S. fencer. She follows Mariel Zagunis in 2004 and 2008 as the only American fencers to win gold in the same event twice.

“Mariel, who did it before me, she has been supporting me and being a really important person to keep me feeling important and seen and empowered these past years, so I really want to thank her for being that person,” Kiefer said.

There hadn't been an all-U.S. final in an Olympic fencing event since 2008, when Zagunis beat Sada Jacobson in saber as part of an American podium sweep. Before that, the last time it happened was in 1904.

“I’m definitely more happy than disappointed,” Scruggs said. “I think that it was shocking for me to be here in the first place, so I don’t even think I’ve had time to process losing, if I’m being honest. Just shocking and just super grateful.”

It continues a rapid rise to the top of world fencing for Scruggs, a 21-year-old Harvard student from Queens, New York.

“Maybe two years ago, I really thought I could make the team, until last year, I made my first senior team,” she said. “So to come out here and medal is just insane.”

Scruggs said she wants to inspire young Black fencers and show “that they have a place in the sport.”

Kiefer is part of a decorated Olympic power couple.

Kiefer’s husband, Gerek Meinhardt, is a two-time Olympic bronze medalist in men’s foil who will compete in two events in Paris. Kiefer and Meinhardt are medical students at the University of Kentucky who have taken leave from their studies to pursue their Olympic dreams.

Asked about her future, Kiefer reeled off her and Meinhardt's remaining events in Paris. “That's as far as we're thinking for now,” she said.

Eleanor Harvey became the first Canadian ever to win an Olympic fencing medal when she beat Alice Volpi of Italy 15-12 for the bronze.

Also Sunday, Japan's Koki Kano beat France's Yannick Borel 15-9 for the men's epee gold medal. It was Japan's first gold in an individual Olympic fencing event.

The vocal home crowd had to settle for silver for the second day in a row after Auriane Mallo-Breton lost in the women's epee final Saturday.

Mohamed Elsayed won the bronze for Egypt 8-7 in overtime against Hungary's Tibor Andrasfi.

AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games

Japan's Koki Kano, right, competes with France's Yannik Borel in the men's individual Epee final match during the 2024 Summer Olympics at the Grand Palais, Sunday, July 28, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Japan's Koki Kano celebrates after winning the men's individual Epee final match against France's Yannik Borel during the 2024 Summer Olympics at the Grand Palais, Sunday, July 28, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Japan's Koki Kano celebrates after winning the men's individual Epee final match against France's Yannik Borel during the 2024 Summer Olympics at the Grand Palais, Sunday, July 28, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

United States' Lee Kiefer, right, competes with United States' Lauren Scruggs in the women's individual Foil final match during the 2024 Summer Olympics at the Grand Palais, Sunday, July 28, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

United States' Lee Kiefer, right, competes with United States' Lauren Scruggs in the women's individual Foil final match during the 2024 Summer Olympics at the Grand Palais, Sunday, July 28, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

United States' Lee Kiefer, right, competes with United States' Lauren Scruggs in the women's individual Foil final match during the 2024 Summer Olympics at the Grand Palais, Sunday, July 28, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

United States' Lauren Scruggs reacts after winning the women's individual Foil semifinal match against Canada's Eleanor Harvey during the 2024 Summer Olympics at the Grand Palais, Sunday, July 28, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

United States' Lauren Scruggs reacts after winning the women's individual Foil semifinal match against Canada's Eleanor Harvey during the 2024 Summer Olympics at the Grand Palais, Sunday, July 28, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

United States' Lee Kiefer, left, competes with Italy's Alice Volpi in the women's individual Foil semifinal match during the 2024 Summer Olympics at the Grand Palais, Sunday, July 28, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Cornerback Charvarius Ward wanted a fresh start after the most difficult football season of his life.

The Indianapolis Colts are giving him that chance.

Ward agreed to a contract that guarantees he’ll make at least $35 million with the potential of reaching $60 million, according to two people with knowledge of the deal. The people spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because deals can’t be announced until Wednesday.

Ward had a difficult final season in San Francisco and was looking to get away from the painful memories from California. Ward’s 1-year-old daughter, Amani Joy, died in October. She had been born prematurely with Down syndrome and had open-heart surgery in April 2023.

“I’ve got a lot of trauma in California,” Ward said the day after the season ended. “I’ve had a lot of great times, but the worst thing that’s ever happened to me — that’s probably ever going to happen to me — happened in California. It just brings back bad memories.”

Ward missed the next three games and his family stayed at his offseason home in Dallas for the rest of the season, prompting Ward to acknowledge he wanted to leave the Bay Area when he became a free agent.

What the Colts are getting is one of the market’s top cornerbacks, someone with 10 career interceptions including five during his 2023 second-team All-Pro season. He didn’t have any interceptions in 2024.

The Colts, meanwhile, broke away from their usual free agency mode.

General manager Chris Ballard typically has been cautious of making splashy signings, preferring instead to spend the big money on re-signing his own free agents. But after missing the playoffs again last season and nearly losing his job, Ballard promised this time would be different.

So far, it has been.

Before adding Ward, the Colts addressed another glaring need in the secondary by signing former Minnesota Vikings safety Camryn Bynum to a four-year deal worth $60 million, a person with knowledge of that deal also confirmed.

The combination of Ward and Bynum gives what had been a young, struggling secondary over the past two seasons experience, physicality and playmaking ability.

Ward picked off 10 passes in seven seasons with Kansas City and San Francisco. Bynum had a career-best three interceptions last season with Minnesota and has two or more in three straight seasons.

And Indy may only be getting started.

Ballard told reporters during the league’s annual scouting combine that incumbent starting quarterback Anthony Richardson would face an open competition to retain his job and that the Colts intended to add a quarterback who could beat out Richardson, the fourth overall selection in the 2023 draft.

Richardson has struggled with injuries and accuracy throughout his first two seasons, and Ballard and coach Shane Steichen insist they still believe Richardson can get the job done.

Still, they are rumored to be interested in former New York Giants starter Daniel Jones, who finished last season as a backup in Minnesota.

“It’s got to be the right guy to create real competition,” Ballard said two weeks ago. “I think it’s good for the team, I think it’s good for Anthony. Look, we drafted Anthony high, knowing it was going to take some time and we knew there was going to be some hiccups along the way.”

And now that they have apparently taken care of the biggest needs by adding Ward and Bynum, they can start focusing on who to add at quarterback.

AP Pro Football Writers Rob Maaddi and Josh Dubow also contributed to this report.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

FILE - Minnesota Vikings safety Camryn Bynum reacts after a play during the first half of an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers, Dec. 29, 2024 in Minneapolis. Minnesota won 27-25. (AP Photo/Stacy Bengs, File)

FILE - San Francisco 49ers cornerback Charvarius Ward (7) lines up against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half of an NFL football game, Jan. 5, 2025, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri, File)