Today we'll be comparing two great Olympians: Alicia Sacramone (women's gymnastics team member), and Mariel Zagunis (gold medal in fencing, bronze in team fencing). To look at pure statistics, Mariel has an advantage: gold in Beijing, gold in Athens, and numerous championships in between. In 2004, she was the first USA woman to win gold in fencing in 100 years. Unfortunately, although Alicia has had tons of success in gymnastics (especially the vault), her performance cost the team in the team event and she was unable to even break the podium in the vault, her most promising event. However, this shows us a little bit more of her character. Perhaps she just has bad nerves...would those bad nerves translate over to say, a date night on the town? Of course not! It also shows that she is human and not entirely focused on gymnastics like Mariel must be with fencing. Indeed, Alicia has dreams of going into business and/or becoming a fashion designer (a little ditzy but ok), whereas Mariel will probably be fencing for the next 10+ years (she is 23 currently). There's no time in her life for a relationship or the better parts thereof. Furthermore, Mariel went to (holding in my vomit) Notre Dame. There's nothing wrong with a woman who is 5'8" (an excellent height) or one who knows how to handle a sword, but if she was in the Fighting Irish it would take a miracle to save her. Finally, everyone knows that leotards are way hotter than fencing outfits, and watching Alicia be feisty in one at 5'4" is just fine with me. So although Alicia didn't fare so well at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, she does win the Deterburg gold medal for hotness.
