Eleanor Harvey claims bronze for Canada’s first Olympic fencing medal

By The Canadian Press on July 28, 2024.

PARIS – Canadian fencer Eleanor Harvey has won Canada’s second medal of the Paris Olympics, capturing bronze in the women’s individual foil on Sunday.

The 29-year-old from Hamilton topped Italy’s Alice Volpi 15-12 for the win, which marks Canada’s best-ever finish in an individual fencing event.

Harvey’s aggressive start paid off with the 12th-ranked Canadian chalking up the first three points of the match.

The No. 3-seed Italian battled back and cut the deficit to 6-3 before Harvey replied with a series of strikes that gave her a 9-4 lead heading into the second round.

Volpi was ferocious to start the middle frame, scoring six straight points to level the score at 10-10.

Harvey continued to fight and, when the referee confirmed she had scored the decisive point, she dropped to her knees.

Swimmer Summer McIntosh won Canada’s first medal of the Games – a silver – in the women’s 400-metre freestyle on Saturday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 28, 2024.

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