Canada to play for fencing bronze in women’s team foil after falling to U.S.

Canada will play for fencing bronze in the women’s team foil competition after being defeated by the U.S. in the semifinal by a 45-31 score on Thursday.

A strong start for Canada in the match was not enough to stave off the U.S., which fell behind after the first and second relays 5-1 and 6-2, respectively.

The tide turned in the third relay when Canadian fencer Yunjia Zhang recorded only four touches compared to Lee Kiefer’s 13, putting Canada behind for the first time in the match, a deficit they would never overcome.

Kiefer, who won the individual gold on Sunday by beating U.S. teammate Lauren Scruggs in the final, won all three of her relays against Canada.

Canada will face Japan for the bronze medal today after the latter lost to Italy in the other semifinal.

Earlier in the day, bronze medallist fencer Eleanor Harvey helped pace Canada to a victory over France in the tournament to advance to the semifinal. Canada took the match by a score of 38-36.

It came down to the final relay, where Canada entered trailing by one, as Harvey scored six touches to opponent Ysaora Thibus’s three to put Canada on top.

Harvey made history Sunday, winning Olympic bronze in the women’s individual foil at the Paris Games.

It was Canada’s first-ever Olympic medal in the sport.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 1, 2024.