On Sunday, Lauren Scruggs made U.S. Olympic history when she became the first Black woman to win an individual fencing medal. The 21-year-old snagged a silver medal in front of a crowd of 6,000 at the 127-year-old Grand Palais in Paris and spoke to Today.com about the “unbelievable” achievement.
“Seeing my family in the stands and being able to fence in front of all those people in Paris in that great building was just insane to me,” Scruggs told the outlet. “Just to have the medal over me and feel the weight was heavy, was unbelievable.”
According to 101ESPN, Scruggs’ win also marked the first time women representing the U.S. won gold and silver Olympic medals for individual foil fencing. Lee Kiefer won the gold after defeating Scruggs 15-6 in the nail-biting final.
“It was shocking for me to be here in the first place. I don’t even think I’ve had time to process that,” Scruggs said, the Team USA website reported. “I’m just super grateful to be able to fence in front of such a big crowd and in such a beautiful space.”
Scruggs is not only an accomplished fencer but an academic as well. She’s a rising senior at Harvard University. She has excelled in the sport on a collegiate level, Today.com reported, and according to NBC News, the 21-year-old also works as a full-time intern in wealth management this summer.
Scruggs is a mentor with the Peter Westbrook Foundation, which teaches fencing to those from communities not typically exposed to the sport. Westbrook himself, who made history in the 1984 Olympics by becoming the first Black American to win an Olympic medal in fencing, is a longtime mentor of Scruggs. He sadly couldn’t make it to Paris to cheer Scruggs on because he’s undergoing treatment for Stage 4 liver cancer, The Washington Post reported.
“They tried fencing because of me,” Westbrook shared with The Washington Post, referring to the impact of his win in 1984 and how it encouraged Black American men to try fencing. “They’re going to try fencing because of Lauren.”
Scruggs hopes for the same impact.
“In certain communities, fencing is just not a sport you do,” Scruggs told NBC News. “So I would say to those people, who are in those communities and who are interested in fencing: Do what you want to do … and follow your passion.”
