Beaverton, Oregon, will be very proud today!

Mariel Zagunis, two-time defending Olympic champion in the fencing-sabre event, will carry the American flag for the U.S. Olympic team when they march into the stadium in London for the opening of the 2012 Olympic games.

In 2004, she was the first U.S. athlete to win a gold medal in any fencing event in 100 years! She won in 2004 in Athens, but almost didn't make it. She was the highest-qualifying athlete not to get into the games, but due to a withdrawal by Nigeria, it opened up a slot for her, and she won!

In Beijing in 2008, as the No. 3 member of the U.S. team, she beat her American counterparts on her way to a second consecutive gold. She is the fourth fencing athlete to carry a flag for their nation in the opening ceremonies -- the first for the U.S. -- and the first fencer to do so for any country since the 1968 games in Mexico City.

More From 870 AM KFLD