Paris 2024 Summer Olympics: Former, current Florida college athletes competing this year
PARIS, FRANCE - APRIL 21: The Paris 2024 logo, representing the Olympic Games is displayed near the Eiffel Tower three months prior to the start of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic games on April 21, 2024 in Paris, France. The city is gearing up
The Paris Summer 2024 Olympics kicked off Friday with an iconic opening ceremony showcasing the city's culture, a parade of athletes, and the lighting of the Olympic cauldron. Of the 10,500 athletes competing this year, some are college athletes from Florida.
Athletes from the University of South Florida, the University of Central Florida, and the University of Florida all traveled to Europe to compete for their share of Olympic gold medals.
University of Central Florida
Five athletes from the University of Central Florida are currently in Paris for the Olympics and one is competing in the Paralympics at the end of August.
Those competing are:
- Kyle Coon - Paralympic triathlon
- Malacchi Esadale - Men's rugby, Team USA
- Sarai Linder - Women's soccer, Team Germany
- Julie Poulsen - Four portion of rowing, Team Denmark
- Viktorija Senkute - Single skulls for rowing, Team Lithuania
- Kristen Thomas - Women's rugby, Team USA
University of South Florida
Six Bulls from the University of South Florida are set to compete at the Paris Olympics this summer.
Those competing are:
- Zahria Allers-Liburd - 100 meter race, Team St. Kitts & Nevis
- Abdul-Rasheed Saminu - 4x100 meter relay, Team Ghana
- Katie Kitching - Women's soccer, Team New Zealand
- Bethy Mununga - Women's basketball, Team Belgium
- Evelyn Viens - Women's soccer, Team Canada
- Romaine Beckford - High jump, Team Jamaica
University of Florida
The University of Florida has 41 former and current Gators in Paris competing for the gold.
Those competing in swimming are:
- Amro Al-Wir - 200 Breaststroke, Team Jordan
- Maha Amer - 3-Meter Springboard, Team Egypt
- Julie Brousseau - 4x200 Meter Springboard, Team Canada
- Caelen Dressel - 100 Butterfly, 50 Freestyle, 4x100 Free Relay, Team USA
- Bobby Finke - 800 Freestyle, 1500 Freestyle, Team USA
- Josh Liendo - 500 Freestyle, 100 Butterfly, 100 Freestyle, 4x100 Free Relay, 4x100 Medley Relay, Team Canada
- Jonny Marshall - 100 Backstroke, Team Great Britain
- Nicole Maier - 4x200 Free Relay, Team Germany
- Aleksas Savickas - 200 Breaststroke, Team Lithuania
- Alberto Mestre - 400 Freestyle, 800 Freestyle, Team Venezuela
- Kieran Smith - 400 Freestyle, Team USA
- Emma Weyant - 400 IM, Team USA
- Luke Whitlock - 800 Freestyle, Team USA
Several other Gators are participating in varying sports from basketball to tennis to track & field:
- Canyon Berry - Basketball 3v3, Team USA
- Nick Calathes - Basketball, Team Greece
- Lloydricica Cameron - Track & Field, Team Jamaica
- Malcom Clemons - Track & Field, Team USA
- Danielle Collins - Tennis, Team USA
- Joseph Fahnbulleh - Track & Field, Team Liberia
- Eddie Garcia - Track & Field, Team U.S. Virgin Islands
- Anna Hall - Track & Field, Team USA
- Reheem Hayles - Track & Field, Team Jamaica
- Grant Holloway - Track & Field, Team USA
- Genevieve LaCaze Gregson - Marathon, Team New Zealand
- Adriana Leon - Soccer, Team Canada
- Thomas Mardal - Track & Field, Team Norway
- Wanya McCoy - Track & Field, Team Bahamas
- Jasmine Moore - Track & Field, Team USA
- Andrew Nembhard - Basketball, Team Canada
- Jevaughn Powell - Track & Field, Team Jamaica
- Deanne Rose - Soccer, Team Canada
- Hakim Sani Brown - Track & Field, Team Japan
- Sarah Schober - Golf, Team Austria
- Grace Stark - Track & Field, Team USA
- Alejandro Tosti - Golf, Team Argentina
- Parker Valby - Track & Field, Team USA
- Alida van Daalen - Track & Field, Team Netherlands
- Andrea Vilaro - Basketball, Team Spain
- Camilo Villegas - Golf, Team Columbia
- Leanne Wong - Gymnastics, Team USA