Mariel Zagunis

Mariel after her gold medal win (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/ olympics_2004/fencing/ 3574244.stm )

Hero. What does that word mean? To me, it means someone who doesn’t give up. She tries her hardest and puts her all into everything. She doesn’t get upset when she fails, but instead gets up and tries again. She excels at what she does and is an inspiration to others. Sometimes, she is a barrier-breaker.

Olympic Gold Medal (www.geocities.com/ esgrimavta/)

Mariel Zagunis was born on March 3, 1985 in Beaverton, Oregon. She began fencing at age 10. She won the Olympic Gold Medal for saber 9 years later in the birthplace of the games, Athens, Greece. This was the first ever fencing gold for the U.S. and the first U.S. medal since the 1984 games in Los Angeles. Her fencing master is Ed Korfanty. He was born in Poland and is one of the National Coaches there. He is presently the head coach of Mariel Zagunis’s club, the Oregon Fencing Alliance. She is the only U.S. fencer to have won the Junior World Cup title. She won it three times in a row from the years 2002-2004. She is also the youngest fencer to win an FIE gold medal.

As well as she is known for her accomplishments on the strip, fencing wasn’t her first love. She started out by playing soccer in second grade. She was even a varsity letter-winner on her high school team. I can connect myself to her as a person. I, too, got interested in fencing around the age of 10. Soccer was also my first love. Like her, I have turned to fencing. This is partially why I came to gain an interest in her.

The final score. (http://images.google.com/images)

She is also a barrier-breaker. Not only is she the first American to win an Olympic medal (of any color) for fencing in 100 years, she is a woman. The men couldn’t bring themselves to a medal. They could only take 4th place in team saber. Close, but not there yet. She has also brought an unknown sport into the light. She did what no other American could. Now American fencers are regarded with more respect throughout the worldwide fencing community.

Mariel Zagunis has made an impact in the way that I view things. I now know more than ever that I can make a difference. I can succeed at whatever I want. American women fencers are coming out and I believe that before long the whole world will know about us. It all started with Mariel. She is my hero because she is one of the biggest barrier-breakers that I know. I feel honored to have been able to meet my hero and see her in her element. It only makes me admire her more. That is what makes her my hero.