Lauren Scruggs (fencer)

Last updated

Lauren Scruggs
Born (2003-01-27) January 27, 2003 (age 21)
Queens, New York, U.S.
Sport
CountryFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States
Weapon Foil
HandLeft-handed
ClubPeter Westbrook Foundation, Fencers Club
Head coachSean McClain
FIE  ranking 4 (women's foil, August 2024)
Medal record
Women's foil
Representing Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States
Olympic Games
Olympic rings.svg
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2024 Paris Team
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2024 Paris Individual
Pan American Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2024 Lima Team
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2023 Lima Team
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2023 Lima Individual
Junior World Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2018 Verona Team
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2019 Toruń Individual
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2022 Dubai Individual
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2022 Dubai Team
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2023 Plovdiv Team
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2021 Cairo Team
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2023 Plovdiv Individual
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2018 Verona Individual

Lauren Scruggs (born January 27, 2003) is an American left-handed foil fencer. [1] Scruggs won a silver medal in women's individual foil at the 2024 Summer Olympics, making her the first Black American woman to win an individual fencing medal. [2] She also won a gold medal in women's team foil at the same Olympics, along with Lee Kiefer, Jackie Dubrovich, and Maia Weintraub. Scruggs competes for the Harvard Crimson team in collegiate fencing. She has won an NCAA championship and is one of two black fencers from the United States to have won an individual world championship. [3]

Contents

Early life and education

Scruggs grew up in Queens , New York. [4] She was inspired to start fencing as a 6-year-old, after her older brother joined a fencing club in Brooklyn. [5] [6] She attended Packer Collegiate Institute, graduating in 2021. [7] Her older brother Nolen fenced at Columbia University. [8]

She is a student at Harvard University and is majoring in philosophy. [9] [10]

Career

Scruggs is a two-time champion in the Junior World Fencing Championships, winning individual gold medals in 2019 and 2022 as well as other individual and team awards in 2018, 2021, and 2023. [11] In 2023, she earned an individual gold medal at the NCAA Fencing Championships in Durham, North Carolina, and contributed to a fifth-place team finish for Harvard. [12] In June 2023, she took bronze at the Pan American Fencing Championships in Lima. [13]

2024 Summer Olympics

On March 17, 2024, Scruggs qualified for the Paris Olympic Games by earning bronze at the Absolute Fencing Gear FIE Grand Prix in Washington, D.C.

At the Games, she won the silver medal in the women's foil event, defeating Italian fencer Arianna Errigo and Canadian fencer Eleanor Harvey, among others, before losing 15–6 in the final to fellow American Lee Kiefer. [14] [15] This made Scruggs the first Black American woman to win an individual fencing medal at the Olympics. [16] She also won a gold medal in the team competition.

Personal life

Scruggs is openly lesbian and currently dating a Harvard classmate. [5] She is involved with the Peter Westbrook Foundation, which offers fencing lessons to children and teens who are members of underrepresented groups. [13] By qualifying for the Paris Olympics, she became the 17th Olympian produced by this foundation.

Medal record

Olympic Games

YearLocationEventPosition
2024 Flag of France.svg Paris, France Individual Women's Foil2nd [17]
2024 Flag of France.svg Paris, France Team Women's Foil1st [18]

World Cup

DateLocationEventPosition
2024-12-07 Flag of South Korea.svg Busan, korea Team Women's Foil2nd [19]

Pan American Championship

YearLocationEventPosition
2023 Flag of Peru.svg Lima, Peru Individual Women's Foil3rd [20]
2023 Flag of Peru.svg Lima, Peru Team Women's Foil2nd [21]
2024 Flag of Peru.svg Lima, Peru Team Women's Foil1st [22]

See also

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References

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  3. "Lauren Scruggs". USA Fencing. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  4. 1 2 Zeigler, Cyd (June 7, 2024). "Lauren Scruggs says her Olympics sport is like 'Princess Bride'". OutSports. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  5. Grove, Rashad (July 26, 2024). "Diverse Voices in Fencing: Miles Chamley-Watson and Lauren Scruggs Discuss Their Olympic Journey". BET. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  6. "Lauren Scruggs". Harvard Crimson. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  7. "Lauren Scruggs - 2023-24 - Women's Fencing". Harvard University . Retrieved July 29, 2024.
  8. Forst, Katharine; Harris, Thomas (March 20, 2024). "Harvard's Lauren Scruggs To Represent Team USA at 2024 Paris Olympics | Sports". The Harvard Crimson. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  9. Rose, Naeisha (May 30, 2024). "From Ozone Park to the Paris Olympics". Queens Chronicle. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  10. "Lauren Scruggs Crowned Junior World Champion for Second Time in Her Career". Harvard University. April 5, 2022. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  11. Behrens, Caroline (March 31, 2023). "Harvard's Jonas Hansen and Lauren Scruggs Take Home the Gold at Fencing NCAA Championships". The Harvard Crimson. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
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