View source for Mariel Zagunis

{{Short description|American fencer (born 1985)}}
{{use mdy dates|date=May 2020}}
{{Infobox fencer
| name           = Mariel Zagunis
| fullname       = Mariel Leigh Zagunis
| image          = Mariel Zagunis podium 2013 Fencing WCH SFS-EQ t215255.jpg
| nickname       = 
| country        = {{USA}}
| residence      = 
| birth_date     = {{birth date and age|1985|3|3}}<ref name=teamusa>{{cite web|title=Mariel Zagunis|url=http://www.teamusa.org/usa-fencing/athletes/Mariel-Zagunis|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141214162917/http://www.teamusa.org/usa-fencing/athletes/Mariel-Zagunis|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 14, 2014|website=teamusa.org|publisher=[[United States Olympic Committee]]|access-date=5 July 2015}}</ref>
| birth_place    = [[Portland, Oregon]], United States
| height         = 5 ft 8 in<ref name=teamusa/>
| weight         = 160 lb<ref name=teamusa/>
| website        = 
| weapon         = [[Sabre (fencing)|Sabre]]
| hand           = Left
| club           = Oregon Fencing Alliance 
| headcoach      = Ed Korfanty
| retired        = 
| natlteam       = 2000–present
| fieranking     = [https://fie.org/athletes/6783 Current ranking]
| domesticranking = 
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalSport | Women's fencing}}
{{MedalCountry | the United States}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Olympic Games]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[2004 Summer Olympics|2004 Athens]]|[[Fencing at the 2004 Summer Olympics – Women's sabre|Individual]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[2008 Summer Olympics|2008 Beijing]]|[[Fencing at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Women's sabre|Individual]]}}
{{MedalBronze|2008 Beijing|[[Fencing at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Women's team sabre|Team]]}}
{{MedalBronze|[[2016 Summer Olympics|2016 Rio de Janeiro]] |[[Fencing at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Women's team sabre|Team]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[World Fencing Championships|World Championships]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[2005 World Fencing Championships|2005 Leipzig]]|Team}}
{{MedalGold|[[2009 World Fencing Championships|2009 Antalya]]|Individual}}
{{MedalGold|[[2010 World Fencing Championships|2010 Paris]]|[[Women's sabre at the 2010 World Fencing Championships|Individual]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[2014 World Fencing Championships|2014 Kazan]]|[[Women's team sabre at the 2014 World Fencing Championships|Team]]}}
{{MedalSilver|[[2004 World Fencing Championships|2004 New York]]|Team}}
{{MedalSilver|[[2006 World Fencing Championships|2006 Turin]]|Individual}}
{{MedalSilver|2006 Turin|Team}}
{{MedalSilver|[[2011 World Fencing Championships|2011 Catania]]|[[Women's sabre at the 2011 World Fencing Championships|Individual]]}}
{{MedalSilver|[[2014 World Fencing Championships|2014 Kazan]]|[[Women's sabre at the 2014 World Fencing Championships|Individual]]}}
{{MedalBronze|2011 Catania|[[Women's team sabre at the 2011 World Fencing Championships|Team]]}}
{{MedalBronze|[[2012 World Fencing Championships|2012 Kyiv]]|[[Women's team sabre at the 2012 World Fencing Championships|Team]]}}
{{MedalBronze|[[2013 World Fencing Championships|2013 Budapest]]|[[Women's team sabre at the 2013 World Fencing Championships|Team]]}}
{{MedalBronze|[[2015 World Fencing Championships|2015 Moscow]]|[[Women's team sabre at the 2015 World Fencing Championships|Team]]}}
}}

'''Mariel Leigh Zagunis''' (born March 3, 1985) is an American [[Sabre (fencing)|sabre]] [[Fencing|fencer]]. She is a two-time Olympic champion in the individual sabre ([[2004 Summer Olympics|2004]] and [[2008 Summer Olympics|2008]])<ref name="databaseolympics">{{cite web|url=http://www.databaseolympics.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=ZAGUNMAR01 |title=Olympics Statistics: Mariel Zagunis |access-date=2012-06-10 |work=Databaseolympics.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102071732/http://www.databaseolympics.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=ZAGUNMAR01 |archive-date=2012-11-02 }}</ref><ref name="sports-reference">{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/za/mariel-zagunis-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417161712/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/za/mariel-zagunis-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2020-04-17 |title=Mariel Zagunis |access-date=2012-06-10}}</ref> and the first American woman to win a gold medal in fencing at the Olympics (which happened in 2004).<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://apnews.com/article/2020-tokyo-olympics-sports-health-coronavirus-pandemic-fencing-0619f020e83d27eb216589f4c136bd43#:~:text=CHIBA%2C%20Japan%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94,competing%20at%20her%20fifth%20Olympics | title=5-time US fencing Olympian Zagunis still looking to future | website=apnews.com | first=James | last=Ellingworth | date=2021-07-26}}</ref> She was Team USA [[Standard-bearer|flag bearer]] in the [[2012 Summer Olympics Parade of Nations]]. She has two Olympic bronze team medals (in 2008 and 2016) and is a five-time Olympian (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.teamusa.org/usa-fencing/athletes/Mariel-Zagunis |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141214162917/http://www.teamusa.org/usa-fencing/athletes/Mariel-Zagunis |archive-date=December 14, 2014 |title=Mariel Zagunis}}</ref>

==Biography==
Zagunis' parents, [[Robert Zagunis|Robert]] and [[Catherine Menges|Cathy]] (née Menges)<ref>{{cite Sports-Reference |check-wikidata=no |title=Catherine Menges |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/me/catherine-menges-1.html }}</ref> Zagunis, were collegiate rowers at [[Oregon State University]] and [[Connecticut College]], respectively. They both competed with the U.S. rowing team at the [[1976 Summer Olympics]] in Montreal.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://und.com/roster/mariel-zagunis/|title=Mariel Zagunis; Notre Dame Fighting Irish; Official Athletics Website|website=Notre Dame Fighting Irish Official Athletics Website|date=July 9, 2018 |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200204043819/https://und.com/roster/mariel-zagunis/|archive-date=2020-02-04|access-date=2020-02-03}}</ref> Her older brother Marten and younger brother Merrick also fence sabre. She grew up in Oregon and attended [[Valley Catholic School|Valley Catholic]] from kindergarten to 12th grade, and the [[University of Notre Dame]] where she majored in [[anthropology]].<ref name="Valley">{{cite web|last=Le Chevallier|first=Grace|title=VCS Campus Cheers on Olympic Bound Mariel Zagunis '03|url=http://www.ssmofoundation.org/alumni-relations/mariel.php|publisher=SSMO Foundation|access-date=2012-07-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121028210742/http://www.ssmofoundation.org/alumni-relations/mariel.php|archive-date=2012-10-28}}</ref>

Zagunis is of [[Lithuania]]n descent on her paternal side<ref>{{cite web|url=http://indystar.gannettonline.com/gns/olympics/20040817-50558.html|title=Oregon fencer wins gold after late invitation to Games|last=Prater|first=Mike|publisher=Gannett News Service|date=2004-08-17|access-date=2012-01-27|archive-date=February 10, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120210021159/http://indystar.gannettonline.com/gns/olympics/20040817-50558.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> and was raised in the [[Catholic]] faith.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ncregister.com/site/article/gold_medal_faith|last=Laugesen|first=Wayne|title=Gold Medal Faith|website=[[National Catholic Register]]|date=September 4, 2004|access-date=August 10, 2016}}</ref>

==Early career==
{{BLP one source|section|date=September 2016}}
Zagunis was the first American fencer to hold the Jr. World Cup Champion title (2002), and she did so three years in a row (2002, 2003, 2004). She is the youngest fencer ever to win the [[Fédération Internationale d'Escrime]] (FIE) World Championship gold, and the youngest fencer to win three FIE medals in one season.  Zagunis won the FIE over-all medal three years in a row.  She was the first fencer in the history of the sport to hold more than two World Champion titles in one season (2001: Cadet, Jr. and Jr. Team titles). She entered the [[University of Notre Dame]] in 2004 on an athletic scholarship.

In October 2005, Zagunis won her seventh World Champion title at the [[Leipzig]], [[Germany]] World Championships, in the women's team event.  A year later at the [[2006 World Fencing Championships]] she won the silver, after losing the final to [[Rebecca Ward]]. She is the second U.S. fencer in history to have won the World Cup total-points Title from the FIE.

In 2009 Zagunis captured the last individual World title to have eluded her when she won the World Championships in [[Antalya]], [[Turkey]], defeating [[Ukraine|Ukrainian]] [[Olga Kharlan]] 15–6 in the final. She repeated as World Champion one year later, again winning the individual sabre title, defeating the Ukraine's Olga Khomrova 15–11 in the final.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://portlandtribune.com/sports/story.php?story_id=128906544069095100|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929182748/http://portlandtribune.com/sports/story.php?story_id=128906544069095100|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 29, 2011|title=Mariel Zagunis wins second world championships|publisher=Portlandtribune.com|date=2010-11-06|access-date=2012-01-27}}</ref>

==2004 Athens Olympics==
{{main|Fencing at the 2004 Summer Olympics – Women's sabre}}
The Women's [[Sabre (fencing)|Sabre]] event was being contested for the first time at the [[2004 Summer Olympics]]. Zagunis did not directly qualify to fence in the tournament. However, [[Nigeria]] decided not to send their qualifying fencer to the tournament, and as the next highest seeded fencer in the world, Zagunis was selected to represent the [[United States at the 2004 Summer Olympics]].<ref name="usatoday.com">{{cite news|last=Whiteside |first=Kelly |url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/beijing/fight/2008-08-09-womens-saber_N.htm |title=Zagunis wins gold, leads U.S. sweep in fencing event |publisher=Usatoday.Com |date=2008-08-09 |access-date=2012-01-27}}</ref>

She received one of eight byes offered in the first round, entering the tournament in the [[Round of 16]], where she defeated [[Japan]]ese fencer [[Madoka Hisagae]], 15–13. In the quarterfinals, she defeated [[Elena Jemayeva]] of [[Azerbaijan]], 15–11. In the semifinals, Zagunis clinched at least a silver medal by defeating [[Romania]]'s [[Cătălina Gheorghițoaia]], 15–10.<ref name="sports.yahoo.com">{{cite web|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/athens2004/fencing/results?day=17 |title=Olympics, Fencing – Fencing Results – Yahoo! Sports |publisher=Sports.yahoo.com |access-date=2012-01-27}}</ref>

Zagunis faced [[China|Chinese]] fencer [[Xue Tan]] in the finals, defeating her 15–9 and becoming the first American to win an Olympic fencing gold medal in 100 years.<ref name="sports.yahoo.com"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://fencing.teamusa.org/athlete/athlete/534 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080717011439/http://fencing.teamusa.org/athlete/athlete/534 |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 17, 2008 |title=Mariel Zagunis &#124; Athletes &#124; USA Fencing |publisher=Fencing.teamusa.org |access-date=2012-01-27}}</ref> Previously the only American Olympic fencing gold medalist was [[Albertson Van Zo Post]].  In the [[1904 Summer Olympics]] he had been the gold medalist in the individual [[singlestick]] event and in the team foil event, where he had joined two [[Cuba]]n fencers to make up a combined Cuba/U.S. team.

Because fellow American [[Sada Jacobson]] had become the first U.S. woman to be ranked #1 in the world in women's sabre (in 2003), she was considered a favorite. Zagunis' win as the underdog surprised the elite in the fencing world. (Jacobson earned the bronze medal at the 2004 Olympics.)

==2008 Beijing Olympics==

===Individual event===
{{main|Fencing at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Women's sabre}}
Zagunis entered the [[2008 Summer Olympics]] seeded sixth.<ref name="usatoday.com"/> She received a bye in the first round, entering the tournament when there were 32 fencers remaining. She trailed at the break in her round of 32 match against [[Sandra Sassine]] 8–7, but scored eight of the last ten touches to win 15–10. She then defeated [[Bogna Jozwiak]] 15–13 in the [[Round of 16]].

She beat [[Bao Yingying]] in the quarterfinals, 15–9. Zagunis then faced her training partner from the Oregon Fencing Alliance, [[Rebecca Ward]], in the semifinals and defeated her 15–11.

In the gold medal match, Zagunis faced the other top seed in the tournament, [[Sada Jacobson]], and won, 15–8. With Ward's victory in the bronze medal match, American fencers had won all three medals in the individual event for the first time in history.

===Team event===
{{main|Fencing at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Women's team sabre}}
In the women's sabre team event, the U.S. was heavily favored to win.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/info/2015/dec/09/removed-news-agency-feed-article|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080814103736/http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/feedarticle/7708520|url-status=dead|title=Removed: news agency feed article|date=December 9, 2015|archivedate=August 14, 2008|website=the Guardian}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.courant.com/sports/other/hc-jeffcol0810.artaug10,0,4601492.column?page=2 |title=Topic Galleries |publisher=Courant.com |access-date=2012-01-27 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080912140834/http://www.courant.com/sports/other/hc-jeffcol0810.artaug10,0,4601492.column?page=2 |archive-date=2008-09-12 }}</ref> Zagunis teamed up with Jacobson and Ward to defeat the [[South Africa]]n team in the quarterfinals, 45–8.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.nbcolympics.com/fencing/resultsandschedules/rsc=FEW403300/index.html | title=Fencing > Results and Schedules - Women's Team Sabre - Quarterfinal 1 - Official | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091103175841/http://www.nbcolympics.com/fencing/resultsandschedules/rsc%3DFEW403300/index.html| archive-date=November 3, 2009}}</ref>

In the semifinals, they fenced the team from [[Ukraine]]. The Ukrainian side, seeded fifth in the tournament, defeated the U.S. team 45–39, denying them a gold medal, and placing them in the bronze medal bout against [[France]].<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.nbcolympics.com/fencing/resultsandschedules/rsc=FEW403200/index.html |title=Fencing > Results and Schedules - Women's Team Sabre - Semifinal 1 - Official | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091103175801/http://www.nbcolympics.com/fencing/resultsandschedules/rsc%3DFEW403200/index.html| archive-date=November 3, 2009}}</ref> The U.S. team rebounded from their semifinal loss by defeating the French team 45–38 for the bronze medal.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.nbcolympics.com/fencing/resultsandschedules/rsc=FEW403100/index.html | title=Fencing > Results and Schedules - Women's Team Sabre - Gold-Medal Match - Official | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080816152158/http://www.nbcolympics.com/fencing/resultsandschedules/rsc%3DFEW403100/index.html|archive-date=August 16, 2008}}</ref>

==2012 London Olympics==
{{main|Fencing at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Women's sabre}}
On July 25, 2012, Zagunis was elected by Team USA to be the national flag bearer in the [[Summer Olympics Parade of Nations]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Fencer Mariel Zagunis earns honor of carrying U.S. flag |url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/london/story/2012-07-25/mariel-zagunis-to-carry-flag-for-usa-at-opening-ceremonies/56485844/1 |publisher=USA Today |access-date=25 July 2012 |date=2012-07-25}}</ref>

Zagunis failed to win a medal at these games. She lost to South Korea's [[Kim Ji-yeon (fencer)|Kim Ji-yeon]], 15–13; then lost to Ukraine's [[Olga Kharlan]] in the bronze medal match, 15–10.

==2020 Tokyo Olympics (in 2021)==
She was one of three female saber fencers to represent the [[United States at the 2020 Summer Olympics#Fencing|United States in fencing at the 2020 Olympics]] in Tokyo in 2021. Zagunis entered the 2021 Summer Olympics seeded tenth.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://olympics.com/en/olympic-games/tokyo-2020/results/fencing/women-s-sabre-individual |title=Tokyo 2020 Fencing Women's Sabre Individual Results |website=olympics.com}}</ref> She jumped out to a 7 to 0 lead in her round of 32 match against Canadian Gabriella Page (seeded 23) and scored the last five touches to win 15–3. She then defeated Korea's Ji-yeon Kim (seeded 7) 15–12 in the Round of 16. In her quarterfinal match, she fell to two-time champion Sofya Velikaya (seeded 1) of the Russian Olympic Committee, 15–8, as the Russian reeled off 7 straight points to advance to the semifinals.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oregonlive.com/sports/2021/07/beavertons-mariel-zagunis-loses-in-womens-saber-quarterfinals-at-tokyo-olympics.html|title=Beaverton's Mariel Zagunis loses in women's saber quarterfinals at Tokyo Olympics, ponders what's next|website=oregonlive.com |date=July 26, 2021 |publisher=The Oregonian}}</ref>

==Outside the fencing arena==
On March 3, 2017, Zagunis was announced as one of 16 celebrities participating in a cooking competition on the [[Food Network]] TV series ''[[Chopped (TV series)|Chopped]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/chopped/photos/meet-the-chopped-star-power-competitors |title=Celebrities Enter the Chopped Kitchen for Charity in the All-New Star Power Tournament |website=foodnetwork.com}}</ref> She was featured in the "Star Power: Culinary Muscle" episode, alongside former [[National Football League|NFL]] player [[LaMarr Woodley]], former gold medalist figure skater [[Dorothy Hamill]], and current female [[Ultimate Fighting Championship|UFC]] fighter [[Paige VanZant]]. Zagunis was the second contestant eliminated from the competition in her heat.

==See also==
*[[List of USFA Division I National Champions]]
*[[NCAA Fencing Championships|List of NCAA fencing champions]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{wikiquote}}
{{commons category}}
* {{FIE}}
* {{Team USA|new_id=mariel-zagunis-859509|old_id=ZA/Mariel-Zagunis|archive=20230318110141}}
* {{Olympics.com}}
* {{Olympedia}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-sports|oly}}
{{succession box
| before = [[Mark Grimmette]]
| title = [[List of flag bearers for the United States at the Olympics|Flagbearer]] for {{USA}}
| years = [[2012 Summer Olympics|London 2012]]
| after = [[Todd Lodwick]]
}}
{{s-end}}

{{Footer Olympic Champions Fencing Individual Sabre Women}}
{{World Champions in Women's Sabre}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zagunis, Mariel}}
[[Category:1985 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American female sabre fencers]]
[[Category:American people of Lithuanian descent]]
[[Category:Notre Dame Fighting Irish fencers]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Beaverton, Oregon]]
[[Category:Fencers at the 2004 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Fencers at the 2008 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Fencers at the 2012 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Fencers at the 2016 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Fencers at the 2020 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2008 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2004 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2016 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists for the United States in fencing]]
[[Category:Olympic bronze medalists for the United States in fencing]]
[[Category:Fencers at the 2011 Pan American Games]]
[[Category:Fencers at the 2015 Pan American Games]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2011 Pan American Games]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2015 Pan American Games]]
[[Category:Pan American Games gold medalists for the United States in fencing]]
[[Category:21st-century American sportswomen]]
[[Category:Left-handed fencers]]