first three-time individual sabre winner in NCAA history. Ward graduated Duke with a 272–7 (.975) record, making her the school's all-time wins leader. 2008 Beijing Olympics Ward was one of the top seeds for the individual sabre competition. She won her first bout, against Spain's Araceli Navarro, when her opponent was forced to withdraw due to a shoulder injury (Ward was winning 12–7 at the time). She then defeated Orsolya Nagy of Hungary in the round of 16, 15–5. In the quarterfinals, she beat Tunisia's Azza Besbes, 15–14, in a match decided by one final touch. In the semifinals, Ward faced defending Olympic champion Mariel Zagunis, with whom she trained regularly at the Oregon Fencing Alliance. She lost the bout 15–11 to Zagunis, who would go on to win the gold medal. Shortly after, Ward fenced in the bronze medal bout, where she defeated Russia's Sofia Velikaya 15–14. This assured that American fencers would sweep all three medals prior to the actual final bout, in which Sada Jacobson faced Mariel Zagunis for the gold. In the women's sabre team event, the US was heavily favored to win the team event. Ward teamed up with Jacobson and Zagunis to defeat the South African team in the quarterfinals, 45–8. In the semifinals, they fenced Ukraine. The Ukrainians, seeded fifth in the tournament, defeated the favored US team 45–39, denying them a gold medal, and placing them in the bronze medal bout against France. The USA team rebounded from their semifinal loss by defeating the French team 45–38, with Ward making the final touch of the bout, and Ward earned her second bronze medal of the Olympics. See also List of USFA Division I National Champions References External links Rebecca Ward profile at Oregon Fencing Alliance 1990 births Living people American female sabre fencers Fencers at the 2008 Summer Olympics Olympic bronze medalists for the United States in fencing Fencers from Portland, Oregon Duke University alumni Place of birth missing (living people) Medalists at the 2008 Summer Olympics 21st-century American women Duke Blue Devils athletes