American sabre fencer M. Zagunis was born on March 3, 1985. She won the individual sabre event at the Olympics in 2004 and 2008.
Becoming her the first American to win an Olympic fencing gold medal. In the Parade of Nations at the 2012 Summer Olympics, she carried the American flag.
M. Zagunis has participated in the Olympics five times and has won two bronze medals (in 2008 and 2016) with her teams (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020).
Robert and Cathy parents, both rowed at Oregon State University and Connecticut College, respectively.
In 1976, they both attended the Olympic Games in Montreal as members of the United States rowing squad.
Her two brothers, Marten, who is elder, and Merrick, who is younger, are also accomplished sabre fencers.
She was raised in Oregon, where she completed kindergarten through high school at Valley Catholic before moving on to study anthropology at the University of Notre Dame.
M. Zagunis: ‘Gold in Tokyo is the Goal’
An American sabre fencer There was never any doubt in M. Zagunis’ mind that she would one day compete in the Olympics.
Fencing professionally for 25 years, she has won two Olympic gold medals (at Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008) and two bronze medals (at Beijing 2008 and Rio 2016) in team competition.
M. Zagunis has won a total of 14 medals at the World Championships. She credits her parents for setting the stage for her successful Olympic career as a sabre fencer.
“They participated at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal as rowers. Having someone to look up to was a huge factor in my success.”
In Her Fifth Olympics, a First for Fencer M. Zagunis: Peace After a Disappointment
M. Zagunis astonished herself on Monday by realising that she could win a moral victory even if that doesn’t count toward a championship.
Over the course of nearly two decades, the Olympics were equal parts source of happiness and source of heartbreak for her. Either she was happy or sad. To win or to lose, that is the question.
A sombre exit from the arcade at Makuhari Messe Hall B was followed by a stroll down three crimson steps.
She was two wins short of a medal and three wins short of a third gold when her fifth individual Olympic performance ended in the semifinals of the women’s sabre tournament.
M. Zagunis felt pain since she had not won despite knowing she could.
Conclusion
M. Zagunis qualified as a sabre fencer and was selected as one of three women to represent the United States at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
M. Zagunis has a tenth-place seed going into the 2021 Summer Games. In the round of 32, she faced Gabriella Page of Canada, who was seeded 23rd, and she won 15-3 after jumping out to a 7-0 lead.
M. Zagunis advanced to the quarterfinals by beating the seventh-seeded Ji-yeon Kim of Korea, 15-12.
She lost in the quarterfinals, 15-8, to Sofya Velikaya, the two-time champion and number one seed from the Russian Olympic Committee. Velikaya won the match by scoring 7 consecutive points.
