2012 Olympics: Mariel Zagunis, American Sabre Fencer Extraordinaire

Mariel Zagunis is the definition of a juggernaut.

Competing in her third Summer Olympics this year, Zagunis is the two-time defending gold medal champion in women's sabre fencing. Her Olympic accomplishments combine with her other international achievement to make her arguably the best American ever in the sport—ample reason for Olympic fans unfamiliar with fencing to learn a little more about it.

In a nutshell, sabre fencing is faster than foil or épée—the other two fencing disciplines—and the blade of the sword can be used for scoring. 

In order to understand the sport in more detail—and, more specifically, sabre fencing—watch the video and let the two-time Olympic gold medalist share her expertise. 

Zagunis has been at the top of the game for a while now, but her rise to the top was very fast. In her first Olympics, the 2004 Games in Athens, she originally wasn't expected to compete as her U.S. fencing profile explains:

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Zagunis made history at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece becoming the first U.S. fencer in 100 years to win an Olympic gold medal

Her Olympic accomplishment was all the more impressive when you consider that she was originally a replacement athlete for the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team.

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Since 2004, Zagunis has added to her medals collection and has ranked No. 1 in the world the last four consecutive years. Provided she pulls off  the hat trick with another gold in London, you can bump that to five straight years at No. 1.

Zagunis' ability and consistency transcend fencing and put her among the elite in all Olympic sports. In an article by Vicki Michaelis of the USA Today, Zagunis stated:

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"It's one thing to be a two-time Olympian. It's another thing to be a two-time Olympic gold medalist and going into your third consecutive Olympic Games with those expectations behind you.

"It makes me train harder every single day than I ever have."

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The USA Today article notes Zagunis' desire at least match one of her counterparts in the foil:

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Italian foil fencer Valentina Vezzali, 38, will be competing for her fourth consecutive individual gold in London. If Vezzali wins, she would join discus thrower Al Oerter and long jumper Carl Lewis as the only Olympians to win individual events in four consecutive Games.

"I'm not quitting until she quits," Zagunis says of Vezzali, "so I can reach or beat her record. And then I'll be satisfied."

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Call her the Michael Jordan of fencing, because Zagunis' thirst and drive to remain No. 1 and become the greatest ever is motivating and inspiring. And perhaps it's partially due to her genetics.

Zagunis is the daughter of two Olympians, Robert and Cathy, who competed in rowing during the 1976 Montreal Games as mentioned in her U.S. fencing profile.

One more reason Zagunis is hard to beat? You never know what she'll do next. Reverting back to the piece by Michaelis of USA Today, Zagunis says:

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"You cannot be the same fencer year to year. You always have to be changing yourself, changing your strategy, what actions you favor. If you don't — especially if you're the No. 1 fencer in the world and it's all eyes on you all the time — people can easily figure you out."

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