An angel fell from heaven, that is what came to my mind the first time I saw Margaux Isaksen. She is a modern pentathlete at the USA Olympic team. Would you like to know her story? She is one amazing, inspiring young woman, so check her out!
Photo: Margaux Isaksen.
21-year-old Margaux Isaksen has a beautiful story of her own. She was born in Fayetteville, Arkansas to Kathleen West and Tommy Isaksen. He was a cruise ship captain and sadly she lost him to colon cancer when she was just a two-year-old girl and her younger sister Isabella was six-months-old.
Mrs. West devoted herself to her girls. Since they live on a farm they enjoyed riding horses. Perhaps growing up in such a beautiful place explains why Margaux loved outdoor sports and has been so athletic since an early age.
Margaux played soccer at first, then came swimming, running and shooting. She trained with Kelly O’Meara and Greg Mathews while she was a student at Fayetteville High School. Until today she still hasn’t stopped thanking them for the time, effort and love they put into her training that helped her grow into the athlete she is today. Another great name that crossed her path is Arkansas University swimmer Hannah Clegg.
Are you wondering how the modern pentathlete came to Isaksen’s life? Her sister became interested in fencing and she joined her for a time in that sport. Together they trained at the Arkansas Fencing Academy where they met coach Neal Pickens and his daughter who was a modern pentathlete and you can guess how things went from this point.
She joined the USA Olympic team in 2005 and moved to Colorado where she could train at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. That same year she placed fourth at the U.S. Modern Pentathlon Junior National Championships in Colorado; 31st at the 2006 Youth A World Championships in Italy.
Her best results in 2007 was the gold medal at the South American Modern Pentathlon Championships in Rio, Brazil and the 18th place at the Junior World Championships in Portugal. 2008 was a much better year for Margaux when she placed 32nd at the World Cup in Spain, 13th in Egypt, 21st at the Olympic Games in Beijing, 29th at the World championships in Hungary, closing with a silver medal at the World Cup in Mexico. Not bad at all.
She wasn’t expecting what 2009 had for her when she won the gold at the NORCECA Championships in Rancho Grande, Cali, another gold at the U.S Open and two more at the USA Pentathlon Senior National Championships and USA Pentathlon Youth A National Championships. She also won her first bronze medal at the Junior World Championships in Taipei.
2011 came in silver for Ms. Isaksen because those were the medals she won at the Pan American games in Rio and in Mexico at the World Cup. Last year she became a golden girl when she received two gold medals at the U.S Nationals at the Senior and Junior division in Colorado Springs, plus she finished first at the Domestic Qualifier in Palm Springs. This year she also placed first at the January Domestic Qualifier in Colorado.
Don’t miss her at the 2012 Olympics in London!!!
Interesting Facts about Margaux Isaksen
* Her younger sister is Isabella from her mom’s second marriage to Steve Ferguson.
* When she was three she fell off a horse breaking her arm.
* She lives in Colorado where she trains and is pursuing a major in sports nutrition.
* When she is not training she is writing at her blog, here.
* While at Fayeteville High she was part of their cross country team.
* The correct pronunciation of her last name is Mar-Go E-Sock-Son
* Has a Facebook page which you can check right here
* She is also on Twitter, here.
* She moved to Colorado when she was 15.
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