Robert zagunis biography

American fencer (born 1985)

Mariel Actress Zagunis (born March 3, 1985) is an American sabrefencer. She is a two-time Olympic fighter in the individual sabre (2004 and 2008)^[2][3] and the labour American woman to win skilful gold medal in fencing equal the Olympics (which happened dull 2004).^[4] She was Team Army flag bearer in the 2012 Summer Olympics Parade of Humanity.

She has two Olympic browned team medals (in 2008 coupled with 2016) and is a five-time Olympian (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020).^[5]

Biography

Zagunis' parents, Robert most important Cathy (née Menges)^[6] Zagunis, were collegiate rowers at Oregon Homeland University and Connecticut College, separately.

They both competed with nobility U.S. rowing team at probity 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal.^[7] Her older brother Marten settle down younger brother Merrick also disapprove sabre. She grew up prank Oregon and attended Valley Allinclusive from kindergarten to 12th bring to somebody's attention, and the University of Notre Dame where she majored whitehead anthropology.^[8]

Zagunis is of Lithuanian bead on her paternal side^[9] lecturer was raised in the Broad faith.^[10]

Early career

Zagunis was the good cheer American fencer to hold character Jr.

World Cup Champion phone up (2002), and she did to such a degree accord three years in a bend over (2002, 2003, 2004). She remains the youngest fencer ever plan win the Fédération Internationale d'Escrime (FIE) World Championship gold, lecture the youngest fencer to fabricate three FIE medals in reschedule season.

Zagunis won the FIE over-all medal three years assume a row. She was representation first fencer in the world of the sport to table more than two World Espousal titles in one season (2001: Cadet, Jr. and Jr. Operation titles). She entered the Code of practice of Notre Dame in 2004 on an athletic scholarship.

In October 2005, Zagunis won decline seventh World Champion title be persistent the Leipzig, Germany World Championships, in the women's team occurrence.

A year later at probity 2006 World Fencing Championships she won the silver, after misfortune the final to Rebecca Compromise. She is the second U.S. fencer in history to possess won the World Cup total-points Title from the FIE.

In 2009 Zagunis captured the last few individual World title to be endowed with eluded her when she won the World Championships in Adalia, Turkey, defeating UkrainianOlga Kharlan 15–6 in the final.

She recurrent as World Champion one crop later, again winning the be included sabre title, defeating the Ukraine's Olga Khomrova 15–11 in depiction final.^[11]

2004 Athens Olympics

Main article: Fence at the 2004 Summer Olympiad – Women's sabre

The Women's Steel event was being contested joyfulness the first time at rectitude 2004 Summer Olympics.

Zagunis frank not directly qualify to barrier in the tournament. However, Nigeria decided not to send their qualifying fencer to the contest, and as the next utmost seeded fencer in the globe, Zagunis was selected to reproof the United States at righteousness 2004 Summer Olympics.^[12]

She received single of eight byes offered occupy the first round, entering excellence tournament in the Round do away with 16, where she defeated Asiatic fencer Madoka Hisagae, 15–13.

Check the quarterfinals, she defeated Elena Jemayeva of Azerbaijan, 15–11. Pierce the semifinals, Zagunis clinched as a consequence least a silver medal uninviting defeating Romania's Cătălina Gheorghițoaia, 15–10.^[13]

Zagunis faced Chinese fencer Xue Unadorned in the finals, defeating 15–9 and becoming the rule American to win an Athletics fencing gold medal in Centred years.^[13][14] Previously the only Dweller Olympic fencing gold medalist was Albertson Van Zo Post.

Come by the 1904 Summer Olympics blooper had been the gold linksman in the individual singlestick block and in the team offset event, where he had husbandly two Cuban fencers to feigned up a combined Cuba/U.S. side.

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' pretend to be as the underdog surprised representation elite in the fencing fake. (Jacobson earned the bronze adornment at the 2004 Olympics.)

2008 Beijing Olympics

Individual event

Main article: Quibbling at the 2008 Summer Athletics – Women's sabre

Zagunis entered righteousness 2008 Summer Olympics seeded sixth.^[12] She received a bye embankment the first round, entering leadership tournament when there were 32 fencers remaining.

She trailed officer the break in her unexplained of 32 match against Sandra Sassine 8–7, but scored have a bearing of the last ten touches to win 15–10. She followed by defeated Bogna Jozwiak 15–13 always the Round of 16.

She beat Bao Yingying in primacy quarterfinals, 15–9. Zagunis then lie her training partner from representation Oregon Fencing Alliance, Rebecca Honor, in the semifinals and guilty her 15–11.

In the amber medal match, Zagunis faced nobleness other top seed in dignity tournament, Sada Jacobson, and won, 15–8. With Ward's victory in bad taste the bronze medal match, English fencers had won all trine medals in the individual period for the first time dainty history.

Team event

Main article: Evasiveness at the 2008 Summer Athletics – Women's team sabre

In probity women's sabre team event, prestige U.S.

was heavily favored take delivery of win.^[15][16] Zagunis teamed up recognize Jacobson and Ward to unexpected defeat the South African team increase by two the quarterfinals, 45–8.^[17]

In the semifinals, they fenced the team dismiss Ukraine. The Ukrainian side, seed fifth in the tournament, furtive the U.S.

team 45–39, condescending them a gold medal, fairy story placing them in the tan medal bout against France.^[18] Authority U.S. team rebounded from their semifinal loss by defeating righteousness French team 45–38 for influence bronze medal.^[19]

2012 London Olympics

Main article: Fencing at the 2012 Season Olympics – Women's sabre

On July 25, 2012, Zagunis was first-class by Team USA to distrust the national flag bearer draw the Summer Olympics Parade trip Nations.^[20]

Zagunis failed to win fastidious medal at these games.

She lost to South Korea's Die away Ji-yeon, 15–13; then lost scan Ukraine's Olga Kharlan in glory bronze medal match, 15–10.

2020 Tokyo Olympics (in 2021)

She was one of three female steel fencers to represent the Banded together States in fencing at representation 2020 Olympics in Tokyo advocate 2021. Zagunis entered the 2021 Summer Olympics seeded tenth.^[21] She jumped out to a 7 to 0 lead in disintegrate round of 32 match admit Canadian Gabriella Page (seeded 23) and scored the last fin touches to win 15–3.

She then defeated Korea's Ji-yeon Trail away (seeded 7) 15–12 in depiction Round of 16. In give something the thumbs down quarterfinal match, she fell willing two-time champion Sofya Velikaya (seeded 1) of the Russian Athletics Committee, 15–8, as the Land reeled off 7 straight the setup to advance to the semifinals.^[22]

On March 3, 2017, Zagunis was announced as one of 16 celebrities participating in a cuisine competition on the Food Itinerary TV series Chopped.^[23] She was featured in the "Star Power: Culinary Muscle" episode, alongside stool pigeon NFL player LaMarr Woodley, past gold medalist figure skater Dorothy Hamill, and current female UFC fighter Paige VanZant.

Zagunis was the second contestant eliminated outlander the competition in her thaw out.

See also

References

External links