Lauren Scruggs, a 21-year-old from Queens, New York, made history yesterday when she became the first Black woman from the U.S. to win an individual Olympic fencing medal when she lost to fellow American Lee Kiefer in foil fencing yesterday.
Rolling out spoke exclusively to Scruggs before the Olympics about making the U.S. team, her motivation to goo into fencing and inspiring people who look like her to participate in the sport.
“I think I was just super excited,” she said about making the U.S. Olympic team. “This is something I’ve been working toward since maybe, like, I was 10 years old. So, it was just great to see all my hard work pay off.”
Scruggs — who is entering her senior year at Harvard University and who entered the Olympics ranked 11th in the world — describes herself as fearless as a fencer and talked about where it came from.
“I think it comes from just my mom. You know, early on she just told me just go for it at these tournaments,” she recalled. “I think I really took that sentiment [to heart] as I’ve progressed in the sport. I think it’s translated to my fencing, just being fearless and confident.”
Scruggs is not the only Black fencer on the U.S. Olympic team in Paris; Miles Chamley-Watson is competing on the men’s fencing team.
“I think I really want to try to see the U.S. men’s basketball team,” Scruggs said of things she wants to do in Paris when she isn’t preparing to compete. “I’m a big fan of LeBron and Anthony Edwards, so it would be cool just to see them play in person.”
After winning a silver medal, one can speculate that she might be able to secure a ticket to a game.
Finally, Scruggs was asked what it felt like to inspire kids who look like her to pursue fencing.
“I think it’s great to just continue to add to that lineage of Black women fencers and inspire the youth,” she said.
By becoming the first Black American woman to win an individual Olympic fencing medal in Paris, it is safe to say that Scruggs has inspired many more.
