the Olympics

2024 - Paris

---

| golf | field hockey | swimming | rowing | water polo | wrestling | gymnastics | soccer | basketball | track | cycling | paralympics | results |

One hundred years ago U-M was represented by three track athletes and a swimmer at the VIII Olymiad in Paris. William DeHart Hubbard won the gold medal in the broad jump, James Brooker bronze in the pole vault, and Henry Jamison "Jam" Handy was on the bronze medal winning U.S. water polo team. Hubbard was the first African American athlete to win an individual gold medal.

In 2024 at the XXXIII Paris Olympiad, 42 athletes with U-M connections competed in 13 sports, representing 22 Olympic teams. Three more will be competed in the Paralymic Games.

U-M's 2024 medal total included 1 gold, 3 silver and 5 bronze and a suilver medal in Paralympic competition.

---

Rugby Sevens - Women

Elena Olsen, U-M LS&A 2018, was the first U-M athlete to compete in Rugby 7s, a sport introduced at the 2016 games in Rio De Janeiro. The Caledonia, Michigan native had never played rugby when she happened to catch the U-M women's rugby club team practicing during her freshman year. She was immediately hooked. She competed for the club team 2014-2018, earning all-American honors in 2015 and 2016. Olsen made her USA Rugby debut in 2019 and was a member of the US team that finished fourth in the 2022 Rugby World Cup (7s) in Cape Town. She has competed professionally for the Southern Headliners in the Premier Rugby Sevens league. Olsen saw action in all six games as the U.S. compiled a 4-2 record, including 14-12 win over Australia for the bronze medal.

Golf - Women

Ashley Lau recorded many "firsts" for women's golf during her U-M career and has now added another -- first Michigan golfer to make the Olympics. She was included in the June Olympic Golf Ranking (Top 60), by the International Golf Federation to represent Malaysia.

Lau was born in Bintulu, Sarawak,Malaysia and attended Hills International prep school in Queensland, Australia. At U-M (2019-2023) she was U-M's first ever Women's Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) First Team All-America, first Big Ten Golfer of the Year, first winner of the Big Ten Mary Fossum Award for lowest scoring average (71.70) and helped U-M to its first Big Ten Title, all in 2022. Her name is scattered throughout the U-M record book. She joined the professional ranks in 2023 on the Epson Tour and is now playing on the WLPGA Australasia Tour. Lau finished in a tie for 55th place with scores of 72-77-78079. Her opening round score put her in a tie for 13th place.

Field Hockey

No Michigan athlete had ever made an Olympic field hockey team. Abby Tamer may have been destined to break that drought. Her father Kris played ice hockey for Michigan, 1990-1993 and spent 11 seasons with three NHL clubs. Her mother Keely Libby was a field hockey letter-winner at UM 1990-1993 and now runs the Pinnacle Field Hockey club in Dexter MI, and is executive Director for Great Lakes Regional Field Hockey. Older sister Emma lettered for U-M 2018-2021. Abby played for U-M 2020-2021 and then joined the U.S. national team. She scored the game winning goal in the 2-1 win over Japan in the semifinals of the Olympic Qualifier in January that guaranteed a U.S. berth in Paris.

The U.S. posted a disappointing 1-3-1 record in Pool B of the qualifying round and did not advance. Tamer averaged 40 minutes playing time per game and scored two goals.

Swimming - Women

2020 Tokyo medalists Maggie MacNeil (Canada) and Siobhán Haughey (Hong Kong) led the U-M contingent of 14 swimmers in Paris, with only Charlie Swanson competing for the U.S.

MacNeil, defending gold medalist in 100m butterfly, swam for U-M (2019-2022) and was the first woman to break the 48 second barrier in the event at the 2021 NCAA meet. She also won a silver medal in the 4x100 meter freestyle relay and a bronze in the 4x100-meter medley relay in Tokyo. In Paris MacNeil placed fifth in a very strong field in 100 meter butterfly. She qualified for the semifinals in the 100 meter freestyle but elected not to compete in order to focus on her two relay events. Alas, the Canadians came up just short in both, finishing fourth in the 4x100 and 4x200 freestyle relays.

Haughey (U-M 2016-2019) made her third Olympic appearance. She claimed silver medals in the 100 and 200-meter freestyle events in Tokyo. In Paris she earned bronze medals with times of 52.23 in the 100 and 1:54.55 in the 200 freestyle. She also swam on Hong Kong's 4x100 medley team that finished 14th overall.

U-M's Hong Kong connection was extended by Natalie Kan. She lettered in 2022-2024, earning second team all-Big Ten recognition in 2023. Kan swam in 4x100 freestyle relay, finishing 7th in the preliminary round 14th overall).

Letitia Sim was U-M's first Singapore Olympian. Born in Singapore and raised in Spanish Fort Alabama, Sim won varsity Ms in 2022 and 2023 before taking a redshirt year to train for the Olympics. She is a three-time CSCAA All-American (100-yard Breaststroke, 400-yard Medley Relay, 200-yard Medley Relay.) She clinched an Olympic spot in December 2023 with a Singapore national record of 30.92 in the 50m breaststroke in a preliminary at the Japan Open. She also holds national records in 200m breaststroke and 200m individual medley. She competed in both breaststroke events in Paris, but did not advance out of the qualifying rounds, finishing 8th her heat in the 100m (1:07.75, 25th overall) and 7th in heat #3 of the 200 (2.29.46)

Stephanie Balduccini, a 2024 freshman from Sao Paulo, Brazil, arrived on campus with Olympic experience. She swam at the Rio de Janeiro 2020 games at age 16. She swam the anchor leg on Brazil's 4x100m freestyle relay (12th place) and the last leg of the 4x100m medley relay (14th place). She is a three-time Brazilian national champion. In Paris Balduccini swam the leg of for Brazil's 4x100 meter freestyle relay team that finished 7th in its preliminary heat (3:40.60, 12th overall).

Incoming freshman Rebecca Diaconescu, from Las Vegas Palo Verde high school, swam for Romania. It is a family tradition. Her mother Lorena was a two-time Olympian for Romania, 1996 and 2000, competing in six events with a best finish of 4th place in the 4x200 freestyle relay in 2000. Rebecca had originally committed to Louisville before switching to U-M. She competed in the 200 meter freestyle finishing 6th in her heat (1:59.29, 16th overall).

Swimming - Men

Felix Auböck represenedt Austria for the third time, qualifying in multiple freestyle events. In Tokyo he placed fourth in 400m freestyle and 7th in the 800 and 1500m races. He swam for U-M 2017-2020, was a 7-time Big Ten champion, earned 9 all-American honors, and was an NCAA Champion in 2019. At the 2024 games he finished 24th overall in the 400m freestyle (3:50.50), placed first in his heat in the 800m freestyle (7:48.49) but did not advance, and 24th in the 10K open water race (2:03:00.5, +2:07.8).

Gal Groumi made the 2020 Israeli team before enrolling at U-M for the 2022 season. In three years of competition for the Wolverines he has won five Big Ten titles and was named Swimmer of the Championships 2024. He competed in three relay events in Tokyo with a best finish of 8th place in the 4x100 Medley Relay. At Paris he finished 10th overall in he 100m butterfly prelims (51.20) and 4th in his semifinal heat (51.48, 12th overall) but did not advance to the finals. He competed in both the 4x100 and 4x200m freestyle relays. He finished 14th overall in the 4x100. With U-M teammate Eitan Ben Shitrit in the third third leg, Groumi anchored the 4x200 team to a national record in qualifying round and a ninth place finish in the finals.

Charlie Swanson making the Olympic team as a breaststroke was a bit of a surprise. His best event at U-M (2017-2020) was the 400m individual medley and he won a gold medal in the event at the 2019 Pan Am games. After graduation he focused on the breaststroke and it paid off when he touched second in the 100m breaststroke in the U.S. trials in Indianapolis. He placed 14th overall in the 100m fly preliminaries in Paris (59.92 7th in heat) to advance to the semifinals where he finished 7th in his heat (1:00.16). He did however come home with two medals -- a silver in the 4x100 medley relay and gold in the 4x100 mixed medley relay. Swanson swam the second (butterfly) leg in the preliminaries of the events and then watched his teammates take first and second in the finals. He won U-M's only gold medal at the 2024 games.

Yousuf Al-Matrooshi of the United Arab Emirates received a wild-card invite to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The 18-year old from Dubai finished 50th in the 100m freestyle and carried the UAE flag in the opening ceremony. He enrolled at U-M for the 2022/23 season and earned his first varsity letter in 2024. He finished tied for second in his qualifying heat in Paris (50.39) but did not advance.

Eduardo Moraes swam for U-M as a sophomore in 2022/23 after a year at Penn State. He swam on Brazil's in the 4x200m freestyle relay team, finishing 28th overall. Eitan Ben Shitrit was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year in in 2023. He is Michigan's third Israeli Olympian. He joined Gal Groumi on the 4x200m freestyle relay team that set an Israeli nation record with a 7:08.43 in the qualifying round, becoming Israel's first finalists in the event. They finished 9th in the finals in 7:10.22.

Serbia native Nikola Acin swam for Purdue before transferring to U-M as a graduate student for the 2022/23 season. He represented Serbia in Tokyo, placing 10th in the 4x100m freestyle relay with a Serbian National record time of 3:13.71. He swam the 4x100 freestyle again in Paris. The Serbian team placed 11th overall (3:2.68) with Acin going 48.66 in the second leg.

Incoming freshmen Lorne Wigginton and Jon Jontvedt represented Canada and Norway respectively. Wigginton earned a spot on the 4x200m freestyle relay team by finishing third in the 200m freestyle at the Canadian trials. Jontvedt earned a spot in the 800-meter freestyle in an April 2023 meet with a personal best 7:48.97, edging out two-time Olympian Henric Christiansen and making the Olympic "A" standard of 7:51.65. In Paris Wigginton anchored Canada's team 4x200 realy team to a 12th place overall finish (7:12.07). Jontvedt finished 5th in his qualifying heat (7:59.19) in the 800m freestyle and did not advance.

Rowing

Michigan Women's Rowing has sent at least one, and usually multiple, athletes to every Summer Olympics since 2004. Abby Dent (U-M 2021-2023, Canada) and Paige Badenhorst (U-M 2018-2021, South Africa) kept the streak alive. Dent, a Kenora, Ontario native, is a two-time Big Ten Champion (2021 2V8, 2023 1V8) and was Big Ten Athlete of the Year in 2023. She took the 2023/24 season off to train with the Canadian National Team and is expected to return to U-M after the Olympics. She won a gold medal with the women's 8 and a silver in the coxless pair at the 2023 Pan American games. Dent helped the Canadian team to a silver medal in the Women's Eight. They placed 3rd in prelim heat #1 (6:21.31), but their time was not good enough to advance. A 2nd in the repechage round (6:04.81) advanced them to A final where a time of 5:84.29 captured the silver medal.

Badenhorst was part of two Big Ten Championship teams (2019, 2021) and was 5th seat on the 2V8 boat that won a conference title in 2021. She went on to get a masters degree from, and row for, Cambridge University. She helped the Cambridge women defeat Oxford in The Boat Race on the Thames, setting a new course record. In South Africa she has rowed for the Tuks Club. She qualified for the single sculls in Paris. She finished 3rd in prelim heat #1 (7:39.19) to advance to the quarterfinals where a 4th place finish qualified her for the C/D semifinal. She won her semifinal heat and the placed 2nd in the C final with a time of 7:27.76.

Water Polo

Abby Andrews played one year of varsity water polo for U-M. She racked up 57 goals, 71 assists and 47 steals in 32 games and was named WWPA rookie of the year in 2019. Andrews will be made her second Olympic appearance for the Australian Stingers who finished sixth in Tokyo. Andrews played professionally for SIS Roma and was among the Italian League's top goal scorers.

The Australians posted a 6-1 record, losing only to Spain in the gold medal game. Andrews scored a total of 15 goals, with a team best fives scores in 14-13 win over the U.S.

Wrestling

U-M sent a record five wrestlers to Paris. Myles Amine (San Marino 86kg) and Stevan Micic (Serbia 57kg) qualified for their second Olympics. Joining them in the freestyle competition were Austin Gomez (Mexico 65kg) and Mason Parris (USA 125 kg). Amine (U-M 2017-2019, 2012-2022) earned a bronze medal in 2020 while Micic was looking for his first match win after losing in the opening round in Tokyo. Gomez came to U-M as graduate student in 2024 after wrestling for Iowa State (2018-2020) and Wisconsin (2021-2022) with some time off due to injury. He finished 2nd at 149 lbs at the 2024 NCAA meet. He has wrestled internationally for Mexico and earned his Olympic berth at the 2024 Pan American Olympic Qualification Tournament in March, including a win over defending Pan AM champion Nick Lee of Canada. Parris (U-M 2019-2023) was NCAA heavyweight champion in 2023 and a three time all-American.

Adam Coon was U-M's first Greco-Roman wrestler since Steve Fraser won the 198 lb. gold medal in 1984. Coon compiled a 116-15 record while holding down the Wolverine's heavyweight spot 2014-2018, including two second place and one third place finishes in the NCAA tournament. In February 2018 at Crisler Arena he handed Ohio State's two-time NCAA champion and 2016 Olympic gold medalist Kyle Snyder his first defeat in nearly three years, ending a 35-0 streak. Coon has considerable international experience going back to the summer of 2014 when he claimed bronze medals in both freestyle and Greco-Roman at 120kg/264 pounds at the Junior World Championships. He failed to qualify for the 2020 Olympics. After a couple tryouts with NFL and XFL teams, Coon returned to training for the 2024 Greco-Roman Olympic team

Amine won his first two matches before losing to Hasson Yasdanicharti of Iran 7-1 in the semifinals.

Stevan Micic did not compete due to injury. Gomez, Paris, and Coon all lost their opening matches and were not eligible repechage matches.

Men' Gymnastics

U-M sent it largest ever contingent of men's gymnasts to the 20204 Paris games -- four athletes and five coaches.

U-M rising junior Frederick Richard won the all-around competition, placed first in the high bar, second on parallel bars, and third in floor exercise to secure a place on the U.S. team at the trials in Minneapolis. At 20 years old, he was the youngest gymnast to make the U.S. team since 1972. In two seasons of competition for the Wolverines he had racked up 8 all-American honors, 3 NCAA titles, 3 Big Ten titles and was named Big Ten Gymnast of the year in 2024

Richard competed in all five events to help the U.S. win the team bronze medal-the first team medal since 2008. He finished 15th in the individual all-around. In the individual event competition he placed in the top 30 in each even with a best of 11th in the high bar.

Paul Juda, (U-M 2020-2024) joined Richard on the the team medal stand. At the U.S. trials he placed fourth in the all-around and strong enough in other events to win a spot on the team under the data-driven selection model designed to give the U.S. its best chance to win a team medal since 2008. Juda, whose Polish immigrant parents settled in Deerfield, Illinois, was a three-time NCAA champion (all-around and vault 2022, floor exercise 2024), and was a member of the bronze medal-winning U.S. team at the 2023 World Championships. In Paris he finished 14th in the individual all-around and a best score of 23rd in floor exercise in individual event competition.

Lais Naffar, a co-captain Michigan's 2024 NCAA runner up team, represented Syria in Paris. He was born in Chicago but spent most of his early years in Syria. His father Maher was a pulmonologist who practiced in Chicago and returned to Syria every few weeks to be with the family. When his older sister entered high school the family settled in Hinsdale, IL, just prior to the outbreak of the Syrian civil war. Lais took up gymnastics at age seven to burn off excess energy and later competed for Lake Shore Academy, along with future U-M teammate Ruthik Puri. He began competing internationally under the Syrian flag in 2017. At the 2023 Arab Games he placed first in floor exercise and vault, second in the horizontal bar and 3rd in vault and parallel bars. His Olympic bid came as a "universality place", part of a program designed to help athletes from underrepresented National Olympic Committees. In Paris Naffar qualified for individual event competition. His top finish was 40th in the rings.

Kevin Penev competed for U-M as a freshman in 2019, winning second team all-Big Ten honors. Both of his parents had represented Bulgaria in international gymnastics competition. They eventually settled in upstate New York where they operated a gymnastics academy, and where Kevin was born. Kevin and his brother Eddie, who had competed for Stanford and been a member of the U.S. National team, announced in March 2023 that they would be trying out for the Bulgarian Olympic team. In individual competition he tied for 11th in floor exercise and 15th in vault.

Women's Soccer

2020 soccer gold medal winners Shelina Zadorsky and Jayde Riviere will both qualified for the defending champion Canadians in Paris. It was Zadorsky's third Olympics and the second for Riviere. Zadorsky was initially an alternate, but moved to the full squad when Riviere was unable to compete due to injury.

Zadorsky played for U-M 2010-2013, earning all-Big Ten First Team honors 2012 and 2013. She was captain of the 2013 team and anchored a defense that gave up just 12 goals in 23 games. She started with the Canadian national U-17 program in 2007 and was captain of the 2012 FIFA U-20 World Cup team. She joined the senior team in 2013. In 2016 she played 90 minutes in Canada's last four games. In 2020 in Tokyo she 90 played 90 minutes the first two matches but then saw action only briefly in the gold medal game.

In Paris she saw limited action as the Canadians advanced to the quarterfinals of Group A before losing to Germany.

Riviere, from Markham, Ontario, turned down professional offers to play for the Wolverines. She earned varsity letters 2019-2021, but retired from the team at the beginning of her senior year. She was named Big 10 All-Freshman Team year in 2019 and helped win the conference tournament in 2021. Riviere was first called up to the Canadian Senior Team in 2017. In 2023 she signed with Manchester United of the English Women's Super League. In the 2020 Olympics she played in five of Canada's seven games, starting three.

Just prior to Canada's opening game, Riviere was ruled out due to an ankle injury she suffered in a July 17 tune-up game against Nigeria.

Basketball

Brothers Franz and Moritz (Mo) Wagner helped Germany reach the semifinals for its best ever Olympic finish. Incoming freshman Syla Sword will for Canada.

Mo Wagner (U-M 2016-2018) helped U-M to conference tournament titles, 2017 and 2018, and the NCAA championship game in 2018. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018 and currently plays for the Orlando Magic. Mo was on the 2020 German Olympic team. Franz Wagner followed his brother to U-M. He played two seasons (2020-2021) before being selected by Orlando with the eighth pick of the 2021 NBA draft. Franz played on the 2023 national team that won Germany's first FIBA Basketball World Cup Championship.

In Paris Franz started all six games and averaged 18.6 points and 5.6 rebounds. Mo split time at center with Daniel Theis, averaging 9.6 points and 3.6 rebounds,

The 18-year old Syla Sword was born in France, where her father was playing professional ball, and raised in Sudbury, Ontario., She was the youngest player ever to make the Canadian Olympic squad and the second Wolverine--joining Krista Philips (2012). Shawn Swords was a member of Canada's 2000 men's Olympic basketball squad. Syla spent two years playing with the under 17 and under 19 national teams before moving up to the Senior Team. Canada qualified for theits consecutive Olympics by finishing third in one of the four FIBA qualifying tournaments.. Canada lost three games in Paris. Swords averaged 15 minutes of playing time and 3.3 points per game and was dubbed by some as "the future of the women's basketball program" for Canada.

Track and Field

Ben Flanagan had a standout career as a cross country and distance runner at U-M, 2013-2018, capped by an outdoor 10,000-meter NCAA Championship. A race in which he was seeded 23rd of 24 entrants. But he also had Olympic dreams.

Two spots on the 2020 Canadian 5,000 meter team were sewn up by Mo Ahmed and Justyn Knight, the two fastest North Americans at the distance of all time. Flanagan made a calculated move to skip the Canadian trials in favor of an Oregon race which he thought would give him a better chance to chase the Olympic standard and secure Canada's third slot. The move failed and his Olympic dreams seemed dashed. He never second-guessed his decision, but reassessed his training and sponsorship and in 2022 and moved back to Ann Arbor to reunite with his old coach Ron Warhurst and his Very Nice Track Club to pursue a 2024 Olympic bid. It paid off. Flanagan won the 5,000 meter race at the 2023 Canadian Track and Field Championships and performed well in a series of road and track races. He went after the 13:05.00 qualifying mark at the January 26, 2024 John Thomas Terrier Classic in Boston. At the 4800 mark he needed a last lap of :28.22 or faster. He turned in a :27.85 for 13:04.62. He was eligible for selection to the Canadian team. Olympic dreams restored. In Paris he finished 17th in his heat (12:59.23) and did not advance.

Ayden Owens-Delerme will be competed in the decathlon for Puerto Rico, but took a very circuitous path to get there, including a two-year stop in Ann Arbor. He was born in Pittsburgh PA and attended athletic powerhouse North Allegheny High School in suburban Wexford. He was Pennsylvania 2018 state champion in the 110 meters hurdles, 300 meters hurdles, and 200 meters, and finished second in the long jump. He enrolled at the University of Southern California and was 2019 Pac 10 Freshman of the Year. He transferred to Michigan but lost a year to COVID and then in 2021 won the conference decathlon title, was named Big Ten Field Athlete of the Year, and finished 2nd in the NCAA. All while completing a degree in Biomedical Engineering. He then transferred to Arkansas where he won the NCAA decathlon championship, was named SEC Field Athlete of the Year and earned an MBA. Owens-Delerme was a three-time NCAA Champion and nine-time all-American. His ties to Puerto Rico are through his mother's family and he visited the island annually as child. He has previously competed for Puerto Rico internationally.

Owens-Delerme finished 9th overall in Paris with 8437 points. He was in 2nd place after day 1 on the strength of a 2nd place in the 100m dash (10.35) and first in the 400m run(46.17). He lost ground in some of the field events on day 2.

Dubem Amene hails from Farmington Hills MI but will be running for Nigeria in the 4x440 meter relay in Paris. He ran for U-M 2021-2024, captured the Big Ten 440 meter title in 2022, the school indoor record of :45.5, and was part of the school record setting indoor distance medley relay team. He has been competing for Nigeria since 2021 and recently won his first national championship in the 400-meter with a time of 45.44. The Nigerian 4x400 relay team, with Amene running second, secured its Olympic ticket with a 3:01.70 time at the 2024 World Relays in May. He ran the third leg of the preliminary race in Paris, but the Nigerians were disqualified for a lane violation.

Cindy Ofili Sember (U-M 2016-2016) made her third Olympic appearance in the 100 meter hurdles for Great Britain, matching the record of her sister Tiffany. She finished 4th in 2016, but following a series of injuries, could only manage a 13th place finish at the Tokyo games. She had rounded back into form and was expected to challenge for a medal in Paris. She placed 4th in the European Championships in June with a time of 13:56. At U-M she was a five-time Big Ten Champion and won the NCAA indoor 60-meter title in 2016. She still holds the school record in the 60 and 100-meter hurdles and the 100-meter dash. Sember's Paris games started out well with a 2nd place finish her opening heat (12.72,10th overall.) In her semifinal heat, however, she fell and did not finish.

Canadian rising senior Savannah Sutherland turned in a strong performance to make the finals of the 400m hurdles in her first Olympic appearance. She won the NCAA title in the event in 2023 and finished second in 2024 with a time of 53.26, a Canadian national record and the fourth fastest time of the year. In April she broke the long-standing Penn Relays record by .22 seconds. In Paris she finished 12th overall in the opening round (3rd in heat #2, 54.80). Placed 6th In the semifinals (53.80) and 7th in the finals (53.88).

Australian Sophie Linn ran cross country and distance events for the Wolverines 2014-2018. In 2011 she won a silver medal in the 1,500 in the Commonwealth Youth Games. As a 17-year old in 2012 she entered the tryouts for both the Australian swimming and track Olympic teams. She won a track scholarship to the University of Mississippi and was named SEC Freshman of the Year. Linn then transferred to U-M in 2014 and won her only varsity letters in the 2014/15 seasons. She was introduced to triathlon by her U-M track teammate and roommate Avery Evenson. After graduating Linn settled in Boulder CO for work and training and eventually began working remotely with the Australian triathlon coaches and team. In April 2022 she won the Gold Coast Triathlon which earned her a spot in the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England where she finished fifth. She scored her first ever World Triathlon Cup win in Napier New Zealand in February 2024. Linn is U-M's third Olympic triathlete, joining Andy Potts (2004) and Valerie Barthelemy (2020). In Paris Linn fished 21st in the women's triathlon (#3.57) and 12th in the triathlon mixed relay.

Cycling

Canadian Cyclist Mike Woods qualified for his third Olympics. The Ottawa native ran cross (2004-2007) and track (2005-2008) for U-M. He won the Big 10 indoor mile in 2006, but foot injuries derailed his running career. He took up cycling as therapy, but soon was riding competitively, winning his first major road race in 2011. He currently rides professionally with the Israel-Premeir Tech team. He placed 56th in the road race at the 2016 Olympics and 5th in 2020. He won a bronze medal at the 2018 World Championships. In 2023 Woods used his climbing skills to win a stage of the Tour de France. He called it "the most significant victory in my cycling career."

In Paris Woods finished in 41st place (out of 90 starters).

Paralympics

Wheelchair Rugby

Wheelchair rugby legend Chuck Aoki made his in his fourth Paralympic Games for the U.S. after winning bronze in 2012 and silver in 2016 and 2020. He joined the staff of the University of Michigan Adaptive Sports and Fitness (ASF) department in June of 2022 as the Community Access Navigator.

In Paris the U.S. team won the silver medal, losing to Japan 48-41. Aoki carried the U.S. flag in the opening ceremonies and become the most decorated American wheelchair rugby in history.

Track and Field

U-M Medical student Sam Grewe qualified for his third Olympics in the high jump (T63). He won a silver medal in 2016 and a gold in Tokyo. Grewe lost his right leg to cancer before his freshman year in high school. He had been a year-round athlete growing up in Middlebury, Indiana and was determined to participate again. After rounds of physical therapy he tried out for several high school teams and eventually discovered he was pretty good at the high jump. He joined the U.S. national paralympic team in 2015 and won the world T42 title in 2015, 2017 , and 2019. He attended Notre Dame University and was member of the varsity track team, graduating in 2021. Grewe finished in 8th place in Paris. He cleared 1.72m (5 ft. 7.75 in.) on hist first attempt but at 1.77m.

2024 Dental School grad Leo Merle will be competing in the 1500 meter race in Paris. He was selected for the U.S Paralympic Team in the T34 category which includes high functioning individuals with traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and/or cerebral palsy (CP). Like many many competitors in the category, Merle has limitations of movement in his lower leg caused by a form of cerebral palsy. Despite this, he competed in track in high school and for the University of California Santa Cruz varsity. Merle discovered para-athlete competition just five years ago watching videos of the 2012 London games. His first para-athlete event was the 2019 U.S. under 23 nationals during his junior year at UCSC. He won the 5,000 meter race, setting a new U.S U23 record. He has had success in international competition including a gold medal in the 1500-meters at the Parapan American Games in November 2023. At the U.S. Paralympics Trial he finished second with a time of 4:06.47, just off his personal best of 4:06.30, which had been the U.S. record earlier in the year.

Merle placed 6th T38 1,500 meter run in Paris with a time of 4:16.19, 3.2 seconds off the winning time.

---

The U-M Results - 2024 -Paris

Swimming
Charlie Swanson
	100m breaststroke	14th overall in prelims, 7th in heat #4 (59.92) advanced to semifinals 7th in semifinal heat #2 (1:00.16) did not advance
	4x100m Medley Relay	2nd, silver (did not swim in final) 1st in Prelim Heat #2 (3:31.62 ) swam 2nd leg in 59.73
	4x100m Mixed Medley Relay	1st, gold (did not swim in final) 1st in prelim heat #2 (3:40.98) swam 2nd leg in 59.65
Felix Auböck (Austria)
	200m freestyle	did not compete
	400m freestyle	24th overall, 8th in prelim heat (3:50:50),
	800m freestyle	1st in prelim heat (7:48.49) did not advance to final
	10K open water	24th place (2:03:00.5, +2:07.8)
Gal Groumi (Israel)
	100m butterfly	10th in prelim heats (51.30) advanced to semifinal 12th overall, 4th in semifinal heat #1 (51:48), did not advance
	4x100m free relay	6th in heat 2 (3:15.41, swam 2nd leg in 48.22)
	4x200m free relay	9th in final (7:10.22) swam 2nd leg (1:46.25)
Yousuf Al-Matrooshi (UAE)
	100m freestyle	tied for second in prelim heat #4 (50.39) did not advance
Eduardo Moraes (Brazil)
	400m freestyle	28th overall, 8th in heat (3:51.74) did not advance
Nikola Acin (Serbia)
	4x100m freestyle relay	11th overall, 5th in heat #2 (3:14.68, swam 2nd leg in 48.66)
Jon Jontvedt (Norway)
	800m freestyle	5th in heat #2 (7:59:19) did not advance
Lorne Wigginton (Canada)
	4x200 freestyle relay	12th overall, 7th in heat (7:12.07), did not advance (swam anchor leg)
Maggie McNeil (Canada)
	100m butterfly	5th in final (56.42) tied for 4th in semi-final (56.55) 2nd in prelim heat (57.00)
	100m freestyle	4th in heat #3, 16th overall (54.16) (qualified for semifinals but did not compete)
	4x100m freestyle relay	4th (3:32.99) swam opening leg in 53.31
	4x100m medley relay	4th (3:53.92) swam 3rd leg in final (did not swim in qualifying round)
Natalie Kan (Hong Kong)
	4x100m freestyle relay	14th overall, 7th in prelim heat (3:42.42), did not advance
Siobhán Haughey (Hong Kong)
	100m freestyle	3rd (bronze) in finals (52.33) 1st in prelim heat #4 (53.02) 1st in semifinals (52.64)
	200m freestyle	3rd (bronze) in final (1:54.55) 2nd in prelim heat 2, 5th overall (1:56.8) advanced to semifinal 3rd in semifinal heat 1:55.51
	4x100m medley relay	13th overall in prelims (4.03.56) did not advance, swam second leg
Natalie Balduccini (Brazil)
	4x100 m. freestyle relay	12th overall, 7th in prelim heat #2 (3:40.60, swam 2nd leg in 53.83)
Rebecca Diaconescu (Romania)
	200m freestyle	16th overall, 6th in prelim heat (1:59.29) did not advance
Letitia Sim (Singapore)
	100m breaststroke	25th overall, 8th in prelim heat (1:07:75) did not advance
	200m breaststroke	7th in prelim heat #3 (2:29.46) did not advance
	4x100 medley relay	did not compete
Field Hockey
Abby Tamer (US)
		- Pool B lost to Argentina 1-4 (37 mins.) tied Spain 1-1 (40 mins.) lost to Australia 0-3 (32 mins.) lost to Great Britain 2-5 (2 goals, 46 mins.) def. South Africa 1-0 (45 mins.)
Rugby Sevens
Elena Olsen (US)
		3rd (bronze) def. Brazil 24-5 (7 mins.) def. Japan 14-0 (13 mins.) lost to France 14-31 (7 mins, 2 pts.) def. Great Britain 17-7 (13 mins.) lost to New Zealand 12-24 (7 mins. 2 pts.) def. Australia 14-12 (11 mins.)
Track and Field
Cindy (Ofili) Sember (Great Britain)
	100m hurdles	2nd in prelim heat #2, 10th overall (12.72) fell in semifinal heat #3, did not finish
Savannah Sutherland (Canada)
	400m hurdles	7th 12th overall in prelims, 3rd in heat #2 (54.80) advanced 6th in semifinal (53.80) advanced to finals 7th in final (53.88)
Dubem Amene (Nigeria)
	4x400m relay	disqualified for lane violation, in prelim, ran 3rd leg
Ben Flanagan (Canada)
	5,000m	17th in prelim heat #2 (12:59.23) did not advance
Ayden Owens-Delerme (Puerto Rico)
	decathlon (event, time/distance, place in event, points, standing)	9th, 8437 pts. Day 1 -- (2nd place, 4608 pts.) 100m dash - 10.35, 2nd, 1011, 2nd Long jump - 7.66, 6th, (T for 5th) 822, 3rd Shot put - 15.17, 7th, 800, 7th high jump - 2.02, 8th, (T for 7th), 822, 8th 400m rum - 46.17, 1st, 1000, 2nd Day 2 -- 110m hurdles - 14.09, 7th, 963. 7th discus - 43.36, 17th, 733, 17th pole vault - 4.80, 8th (T), 849, 4th javelin - 51.17 , 19th, 609, 6th 1500m - 4:40.39, 12th, 676, 9th
Triathlon
Sophie Linn (Australia)
	triathlon	21st (+3.57)
	triathlon - mixed relay	12th (+3.57) Linn was the anchor leg, posting 23:28 time
Rowing
Paige Badenhorst (South Africa)
	single sculls	3rd in prelim heat #1 7:39.19 advanced to quarterfinals 4th in quarterfinal heat#4 (7:44/03) qualified for C/D semifinal 1st in heat #2 C/D Semifinal (7:55.91) advanced to C finals 2nd C Final 7:27.76 (+1.67)
Abby Dent (Canada)
	women's eight	2nd, Silver 3rd in prelim heat #1 (6:21.31) moved to repechage 2nd in repechage, (6:04.81) advanced to A final 2nd in A Final (5.58.84)
Soccer
Shelina Zadorsky (Canada)
	defense	Group A - advanced to quarterfinals def. New Zealand 2-1 (1 min.) def. France 2-1 (did not play) def. Colombia 1-0 (6 mins.) lost to Germany 0-0 PS 2-4 (did not play)
Jayde Riviere (Canada)
	defense	(did not compete due to injury)
Gymnastics
Frederick Richard (US)
	team	3rd (bronze) in final (team 257.793) (Richard - Floor Exercise 14.466 (9th), Rings 14.033 (9th), Parallel Bars 14.566 (10th), Horizontal Bar 14.833 (1st)) 2nd in qualifying round (team 253.229), qualified for individual all-around competition (Richard, 10th 83.498 - Floor Exercise 13.833, Pommel Horse 13.633, Rings 13.500 Vault 13.933, Parallel Bars 14.433, Horizontal Bar 14.166)
	individual all-around	15th (82.16.6) Floor Exercise 13.200 (22nd), Pommel Horse 12.733 (20th), Rings 13.600 (9th), Vault 14.100 (18th), Parallel Bars 14.133 (14th), Horizontal Bar 14.400 (4th)
	individual event	floor exercise 26th, 13.833 pommel horse - 28th (T), 13.633 rings - 30th (T), 13.600 parallel bars - 23rd, 14.66 high bar - 11th, 14/166
Paul Juda (US)
	team	3rd (bronze) in final (team 257.793) (Juda - Floor Exercise. 14.200 (9th), Pommell Horse 13.900 (16th), Vault 14.666 (10th), Horizontal bar 13.356 (18th)) 2nd in qualifying round (team 253.229) qualified for individual all-around competition (Juda 13th, 82.865 - Floor Exercise 13.966, Pommel Horse 13.600, Rings 13.400, Vault 14.533, Parallel Bars 14.033, Horizontal Bar 13.333)
	individual all-around	14th Floor Exercise 13.533 (17th), Pommel Horse 13.866 (14th), Rings 13.433 (14th), Vault 143.733. (22nd), Parallel Bars 13.766 (18th), Horizontal Bar 13.766 (9th)
	individual event	floor exercise - 23rd, 13.966 pommel horse - 31st (T), 13.600 rings - 33rd (T), 13.400 parallel bars - 38th, 14.033 high bar - 36th, 13.333
Lais Naffar (Syria)
	individual event	floor exercise - 51st, 13.266 rings - 40th, 13.166 parallel bars - 47th, 13.833 high bar - 54th, 12.400
Kevin Penev (Bulgaria)
	individual event	floor exercise - 11th (T), 14.155 pommel horse - 61st, 11.633 vault - 15th, 14.000 parallel bars - 61st, 12.566 high bar - 60th, 12.200
Basketball
Moritz Wagner (Germany)
		4th
Franz Wagner (Germany)
		4th def. Japan 97-77, MW 15 pts. 5 reb., FW 22 pts. 6 reb. def. Brazil 85-73, MW 8 pts. 6 reb., FW 18 pts. 4 reb. def. France 85-71, MW 8 pts. 1 reb, FW 26 pts. 5 reb. def. Greece 76-93, MW 8 pts. 5 reb., FW 18 pts, 2 reb. lost to France 69-73 MW 4 pts. 1 reb., FW 10 pts 8 reb. lost to Serbia 93-83 MW 15 pts. 4 reb., FW 18 pts 9 reb.
Syla Swords (Canada)
		lost to France 75-54 (9:30 mins., 4 pts., 1 reb.) lost to Australia 65-70 (15:29 mins. 2 pts. 1 reb.) lost to. Nigeria 70-79 (19:06 mins., 4 pts., 2 reb.)
Golf
Ashley Lau (Malaysia)
	-	Rd 1 - 72 (T 13th), Rd 2 - 77 (T 53rd), Rd 3 - 79 (T 52nd), Rd 4 78 (T 55th)
Cycling
Mike Woods (Canada)
	road race	41st (of 90 starters)
Water Polo
Abby Andrews (Australia)
	water polo	2nd, Silver def. China 7-5 (23.08 mins, 3 goals) def. Netherlands 15-14 (24:30 mins. 1 goal) def. Canada 10-7 (26 mins. 1 goal) def. Hungary 14-12 (18:34 mins. 2 goals (1 penalty shot) def. Greece 9-6 (27:14 mins. 2 goals) def U.S. 14-13 (21:02 mins. 5 goals (1 penalty shot) lost to Spain 9-11 (19:0 mins. 1 goal)
Wrestling
Myles Amine (San Marino)
	86kg/198lbs (freestyle)	fifth place def Mykhailov Vasyl of Ukraine 7-4 in opening round def Osman Nurmagemedov of Azerbaijan 16-14 in quarterfinals lost to Hassan Yazdani of Iran 7-1 in bronze medal match lost to Dauren Kurugliev of Greece 5-4
Stevan Micic (Serbia)
	57kg/ (Freestyle)	withdrew due to injury
Austin Gomez (Mexico)
	65kg/143lbs (Freestyle)	lost to Hajir Aliyevh of Iran 3-0, not eligible for repechage
Mason Parris (US)
	125kg/275lbs (Freestyle)	lost opening round match 10-5 to Lkhagvagerel Munkhtur of Mongolia, not eligible for repechage
Adam Coon (US)
	130kg/286lbs (Greco-Roman)	Lost opening match to 3-1 to Amin Mirzazadeh of Iran, current World Champion. Not eligible for repechage when Mirzazadeh lost to Cuba's Mijaín López in the quarterfinals.
Coaches
Yuan Xiao (U.S.)
	Gymnastics - assistant coach (UM head gymnastics coach)
Sam Mikulak (U.S.)
	Gymnastics - US assistant coach (UM gymnast, 3-time Olympian)
Syque Caeser (US)
	Gymnastics - assistant coach (UM gymnast, assistant gymnastics coach, Olympian)
Jordan Gaarentson (US)
	Gymnastics - assistant coach (UM assistant gymnastics coach)
Juha Tanskanen (Syria)
	Gymnastics - assistant coach (UM assistant gymnastics coach)
Sean Bormet (San Marino)
	Wrestling - coach (UM wrestling head coach 2019- , UM wrestler 1990-1994)
Kevin Jackson (Mexico)
	Wrestling - assistant coach U.S. (UM assistant coach 2020- )
Josh Churella (US)
	Wrestling - assistant coach (U-M varsity wrestler 2005-2008, assistant coach 2010- )
Steven Rajewsky (Canada)
	track - assistant coach (UM assistant track coach 2014- )
Erin Virtue (US)
	Volleyball - assistant coach (U-M head volleyball coach, 2023- )
Cole Pawlikowski (US)
	Volleyball - team manager (UM dir. of volleyball operations 2023- )
Ron Warhurst (US / Canada)
	personal coach for Ben Flanagan (Canada) and Hobbs Kessler and Bryce Hopple (US) (head men's cross country coach, 1974-2010; assistant men's track and field coach, 1974-2000; head men's track and field coach, 2000-08; associate head men's track and field coach, 2008-10)
Bob Bowman (France)
	coach for French swimmer Leon Marchand (U-M men's swimming coach 2009-2019)
Paralympics
Wheelchair Rugby
Chuck Aoki (US)
	team	silver
Track
Sam Grewe (US)
	High jump (T63)	8th (1.72m)
Leo Merle (US)
	1500-meters (T38)	6th (4:16.19)

---

Table of Contents | 2022-Beijing | Name Index

MGOBLUE

Bentley Library
Homepage
Athletic History


UM in the Olympics
Olympic Home

By Olympiad

Name Index

UM Olympians by Sport

UM Medalists

Medals by Sport

Coaches and Administrators

---

Site maintained by the Bentley Historical Library, send questions or comments to Greg Kinney <gkinney@umich.edu>
Last updated: 9/9/2024
Copyright ©2024 The Regents of the University of Michigan