Mariel Zagunis

Sport: Fencing

Nation: United States of America

DOB: March 3, 1985

Hometown: Beaverton, OR

Career Highlights: The Olympic individual gold medalist in saber in 2004 and 2008, who also earned a team bronze in '08, surged to another Olympic berth by ending the qualification season with a bronze medal at the Moscow Grand Prix in March. Zagunis, who regained the top world ranking in May, became the first U.S. fencer in 100 years to win Olympic gold at the 2004 Athens Games. She also became the first Olympic gold medalist in women's saber, which made its Games debut in Greece, and did so after making the team as a replacement when Nigeria elected not to send its qualifying fencer to the Olympics. Zagunis is a two-time individual senior world champion and five-time senior world champion in team competition, and was the youngest world champion fencer ever at 15 when she won in 2000. She is the daughter of Olympians, as parents Robert and Kathy competed in the 1976 Montreal Games for the U.S. rowing team. The only fencer to win four world championship titles in one season and the first U.S. fencer with four world championship golds, Zagunis is considered a heavy favorite to medal again in London.

Olympic History: 2008,2004