Mariel Zagunis

American fencer

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Born: March 3, 1985
Age in 2026: 41
Zodiac sign: Pisces
Birth year: 1985

About Mariel Zagunis

Mariel Leigh Zagunis (born March 3, 1985) is an American sabre fencer. She is a two-time Olympic champion in the individual sabre (2004 and 2008) and the first American woman to win a gold medal in fencing at the Olympics (which happened in 2004). She was Team USA flag bearer in the 2012 Summer Olympics Parade of Nations. She has two Olympic bronze team medals (in 2008 and 2016) and is a five-time Olympian (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020). Zagunis won the FIE over-all medal three years in a row. She is a two-time Olympic champion in the individual sabre and the first American woman to win a gold medal in fencing at the Olympics.

Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.

The world when Mariel Zagunis was born

Mariel Zagunis was born in 1985. The year snapshot below places that birthday in its cultural and historical setting: the music and films people were following, the headlines shaping public life, and the everyday prices families encountered.

Culture in 1985

#1 song"We Are the World" – USA for Africa
Top movieOut of Africa
Top TV showThe Cosby Show
Best-selling bookThe Handmaid's Tale – Margaret Atwood

Headlines and milestones

Major sports momentMichael Jordan named NBA Rookie of the Year
Top headlineLive Aid concert raises awareness for African famine
Technology milestoneNintendo NES released in the US
Defining fadNintendo NES
Notable inventionNintendo Entertainment System (NES) launches in US
World population4.85 billion

United States snapshot

U.S. leaderRonald Reagan
Sports championKansas City Royals (World Series)
Also wonLos Angeles Lakers (NBA)
U.S. population237.9M

1985 versus 2026

These figures put everyday life in Mariel Zagunis's birth year beside the site's latest United States snapshot.

Measure	1985	2026
Gas	$1.12	$3.45/gal
Average home	$75,500	$435,000
Average income	$27,735	$67,500
Minimum wage	$3.35	$7.25/hr (federal)
Movie ticket	$3.55	$11.95
Postage stamp	$0.22	$0.73
Population	237.9M	341 million

Sources and editorial standards

This profile combines a biographical source with structured birthday and historical context. Sources recorded for this profile: Wikipedia, International Olympic Committee, Olympedia. See our editorial policy for sourcing, corrections, and review standards.

Read the source biography on Wikipedia. Wikipedia text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.