Aug. 10, 2013
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Former University of Notre Dame fencer Mariel Zagunis became the first fencer with Irish ties to reach a weapon final on day three of the 2013 Senior World Championships, placing fifth in the women’s individual sabre Friday in Budapest, Hungary.
Recent Notre Dame graduates Kelley Hurley (’10) and Courtney Hurley (’13), along with Gerek Meinhardt and sophomore Lee Kiefer are representing the United States along with Zagunis during the championships, while senior Adriana Camacho is competing for Mexico.
Zagunis entered the week as the only woman in the table to have won the individual sabre event at the Senior World Championships, placing first in both 2009 and 2010. The two-time Olympic champion was the top U.S. finisher in the weapon with her fifth-place result.
The number two overall seed, Zagunis opened the table of 64 with a 15-4 victory over Canada’s Marissa Ponich. The Beaverton, Ore. native claimed her second straight win by 10 or more touches (15-5) in a round of 32 bout against 2012 World Junior Medalist Saoussen Boudiaf (France). Zagunis advanced through the table of 16 after outlasting Poland’s Matylda Ostojska 15-8 to qualify for the final eight.
Zagunis dropped a heartbreaking 15-14 decision in the quarterfinals to Russia’s Ekaterina Dyachenko to end her championship run. Dyachenko ultimately claimed the silver medal in the women’s individual sabre.
The 2013 Senior World Championships continues through Monday in Budapest. Stay tuned to UND.com for a full recap of how Notre Dame competitors fared at the conclusion of the Senior World Championships.
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