Lee Kiefer and Lauren Scruggs help ensure at least a silver medal for the US in team fencing

PARIS (AP) — Lee Kiefer was the standout as the United States beat Canada 45-31 in their women's team foil fencing semifinal to guarantee at least a silver medal at the Paris Olympics on Thursday.

Two-time individual gold medalist Kiefer, silver medalist Lauren Scruggs and Jacqueline Dubrovich will face Italy in the final later Thursday after the Italians beat Japan 45-39.

Italy's team of Alice Volpi, Arianna Errigo and Martina Favaretto is seeded first and the U.S. second in the bracket.

Kiefer went a combined 23-12 in her three matchups, including 13-4 against 16-year-old Canadian Yunjia Zhang when the U.S. had been four points down.

The U.S. already has three fencing medals — one of each color — so far at the Paris Olympics and now has a chance to win two gold medals in fencing at the same Olympics for the first time, as well as a first-ever team gold for the U.S.

An American fencer, Albertson Van Zo Post, won two gold medals at the 1904 St. Louis Games but one of those was a team event in which he competed alongside two Cuban fencers. That medal is officially considered a “mixed team” win, not a U.S. gold.

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