Olympics: USA star Lauren Scruggs hopes to inspire a generation after becoming the first EVER black woman from America to win a fencing medal

New Yorker Lauren Scruggs has talked of her hopes that by becoming nan first achromatic female from nan USA to triumph an individual badge successful fencing, she will tie others for illustration her to participate nan sport.

The Harvard University accuracy student, 21, who is simply a first clip Olympian astatine Paris 2024, initially became keen connected fencing done her relative Nolen who was a large Star Wars movie fan.

Now nan glamour of nan metallic surface sabre has helped put nan spotlight firmly connected her and she hopes it will promote different achromatic Americans to travel her.

She said: ‘Fencing is largely, surely has been, a non-black athletics truthful I dream to animate young achromatic girls to get into fencing and to deliberation that they tin person a spot successful nan sport.

‘I conscionable dream that much group who look for illustration me, small girls for illustration me, consciousness they person their spot successful nan sport.

‘My relative was ace into Star Wars, truthful aft seeing nan movie he wanted to get into fencing. My mom saw an advertisement for a section nine successful Brooklyn.

‘He had bounced astir betwixt different sports. He tried it and he really was beautiful bully and, being nan younger sibling, I conscionable did what he did and recovered that I besides really liked fencing and I was beautiful bully and truthful it kinda stuck pinch me.’

Her golden badge dream was dashed by US teammate Lee Kiefer who followed up her golden astatine Tokyo 2020 pinch her 2nd Olympic golden medal.

She said: ‘It was truthful cool being successful a last pinch Lauren because we were some astir 5ft 3ins, 5ft 4ins.

‘We're some very diversion and we're very creative. That's really cool for nan athletics and it's gonna animate a batch of small girls.’

Lauren, who was calved successful Queens, said astir wherever she gleaned her confidence.

‘I deliberation conscionable wherever I was raised up, I'm from New York City and you know, I consciousness for illustration you person to beryllium ace confident, really you spell astir life there.

‘I deliberation I brought immoderate of that pinch maine today. For each lucifer I locked successful connected my headphones, listened to my euphony and I sewage ace pumped.

‘I was yelling astatine myself earlier I sewage connected defender astatine each touch, truthful conscionable bringing nan power that's conscionable ever been truthful integral to my life and I conscionable brought nan power present today.’

The bronze was secured by Canada’s Eleanor Harvey who said she besides hoped her podium occurrence would promote youngsters from her state into nan sport.