Article from Wednesday's USA Today:
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olymp...s_x.htm?csp=34 Teen fencer set to sharpen skills for 2008 at world championships
By Vicki Michaelis, USA TODAy
Rebecca Ward credits her "notoriously bad sense of direction" for the path she's traveling, one that could lead to the 2008 Summer Olympics.
Seven years ago, Ward was at a recreation center, headed to swimming lessons. She got lost and wandered into a fencing class.
"I signed up, and I've loved it ever since," she says.
Now 16, she's a member of the U.S. women's squad that will try to defend its team saber title in the world championships, which begin Friday in Turin, Italy.
Ward trains at the Oregon club that is home to U.S. teammate Mariel Zagunis, the reigning Olympic gold medalist in women's saber and this season's leader in the World Cup points standings.
"It's inspiration because she's done it," Ward says of Zagunis' success, "and maybe one day I could do it."
Ward is already well on her way, with world titles this season at the junior and cadet levels and her first two World Cup wins at the senior level.
"She's a very mentally strong fencer," Zagunis says, "and it's great to see that at such a young age she can have such incredible results."
Zagunis is in her junior year at Notre Dame, majoring in anthropology. Despite her Olympic medal, she's much more anonymous than the Notre Dame athletes who wear the golden helmets.
"I think the football players are bigger celebrities than I am on campus, for sure, especially this time of year," she says.
Ward and Zagunis will be joined at worlds by Sada Jacobson, the 2004 Olympic bronze medalist in saber, and Caitlin Thompson. The same foursome won the saber team title last year, beating defending champion Russia for the crown.
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