Last updated on: July 29, 2024
Lee Kiefer was born on June 15, 1994, and is a foil fencer from the United States. She created history by winning gold in women’s individual foil at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
As of October 2024, Lee Kiefer is 30 years and 3 months old, her estimated net worth is $1.5 million, and she stands at a height of 5 feet 4 inches (163 cm or 1.63 m) tall.
Bio / Wiki
Full Name
Lee Kiefer
Nickname
Lee
Profession
Athlete
Career
Lee was born into a family passionate about fencing, Lee picked up the foil early, guided by her father and sister, and swiftly moved from playful bouts to serious competitions.
She first caught the world’s eye at the 2012 London Olympics, and she didn’t stop there. She competed again in Rio in 2016 and truly made her mark in Tokyo 2020, where she won the gold and became the first American foil fencer to win an individual Olympic gold medal.
In the 2024 Paris Olympics, she defended her title and got another gold. With this, she joined the elite ranks of athletes who have won back-to-back Olympic titles.
What makes Lee Kiefer’s story even more remarkable is her parallel pursuit of a medical career. She studying for medical exams while training for Olympic gold! That’s Lee’s world. After her undergraduate days at the University of Notre Dame, she dove into medical school at the University of Kentucky, all while keeping her eyes on the Olympic prize. Form this you can imagine her ability.
Debut
2012 London Games
Best Known for
As an American right-handed foil fencer
Personal Profile and Background Details
Date of Birth
15 June 1994
Age
As of today, Lee is 30 years, 3 months, and 18 days old.
Zodiac sign
Gemini
Nationality
American
Birth Place
Cleveland
Residence
Lexington
School / College / University
Paul Laurence Dunbar High School (Graduated in 2012)
University of Notre Dame
- Fenced for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish from 2012-2017
- Won 4 NCAA Women’s Foil individual titles in 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2017
- Helped Notre Dame win the NCAA team title in 2017
- Graduated in 2017 with a Bachelor’s degree in pre-professional studies
University of Kentucky College of Medicine
Started in 2017 and in 2021 took a break to focus on training for the Tokyo Olympics. In 2022 she resumed her studies and is currently a third-year student.
Religion
Christianity
Race / Ethnicity
Filipino from the Mother’s side and Native American descent from the father’s side.
Food Habits
Non-vegetarian
Hobbies
Traveling
Tattoo
Not known
Physical Attributes and Measurements
Height
- In feet: 5′ 4″
- In Centimetres: 163 cm
- In meters: 1.63 m
Weight
- In kilograms: 49 kg
- In Pounds: 108 lbs
Body Measurements
32-24-29 Inches
Shoe size
8 US
Dress size
6 US
Bra size
32B
Eye color
Black
Hair Color
Black
Family
Lee Kiefer was born into a family where fencing is almost a tradition. Her father is a pro fencer, he captained the fencing team at Duke University during the 1980s. Her mother is Teresa Kiefer, she is from the Philippines and immigrated to the United States as a child, Teresa is a psychiatrist.
Lee has 2 siblings an older sister named Alexandra and a younger brother named Axel.
Her sister Alexandra is a is also a decorated fencer. She won the NCAA championship in foil fencing for Harvard in 2011. She is now married to Valentín Staller and they have a daughter.
Axel is also a fencer. He is a Psychiatry graduate from the University of Kentucky College of Medicine. For a long time, he is dating a college fencer Samantha Viqueira.
In terms of personal family, Lee married his long-time boyfriend Gerek Meinhardt. Gerek is also a pro fencer and a two-time team Olympic bronze medalist. Together they have an adorable son.
Wife
Gerek Meinhardt (2019—Present)
Father
Steven Kiefer
Mother
Teresa Kiefer
Siblings
Axel Kiefer (Younger brother)
Alexandra Kiefer (Elder sister)
Children
She has a son, and his name is not known.
Others
Teresita Oropilla (maternal grandmother) (Retired Physician) (Studied at the University of Sto. Tomas, Manila)
Relationship & More
Marital Status
Married to Gerek Meinhardt
Marriage Date
September 2019
Boyfriend and Dating History
Gerek Meinhardt (2012–Present)
The relationship really started at the 2012 Olympics in London, though Lee Kiefer and Gerek Meinhardt had known each other from junior fencing. It was during the Olympics that Kiefer had a crush on Meinhardt and made the first move.
Their relationship evolved into something serious by the time of the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. In 2019, they both sealed their bond by getting married, moving forward, following their dreams in both fencing and medicine.
In particular, it was bonded during the COVID-19 pandemic when they trained together at home, which helped them not to lose sharpness while most other athletes were disrupted. For instance, this training partnership laid a foundation for Kiefer to take her gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, with Meinhardt in the stands cheering her on.
The shared background—both hail from strict, loving Asian-American families—gives Kiefer and Meinhardt something to relate to. Both of them help each other through the rigors of elite athletics.
Net worth 2024
$1.5 million
As of October 2024, it’s estimated that Lee Kiefer has a net worth of about $1.5 million.
Lee has captured Olympic gold medals. At times, prize money accompanies winning these types of larger competitions. Generally, the amount that reaches a gold medal winner in the United States is $37,500 for every gold medal won.
Because Lee is so great at fencing, companies that sell fencing gear or even sporty clothing may pay her to endorse their stuff. She can pull in more money from these deals, although we couldn’t tell how much since it remains private.
Fencers like Lee often get help from sports groups that offer them money to help fund things like travel to competitions and training costs. This helps her keep playing the sport without too much money worry.
Lee is also studying to be a doctor. Indeed, doctors normally have quite a good remunerative job, so once she gets into medical practice, she will likely get a steady income.
Lee’s unique story of being both an Olympian and a medical student makes her an exceptional speaker at events. She might also make money talking at events or writing about her experiences.
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