Reviewed by: Pat Byington
Tide, Tigers sending 26 current + former athletes to 2024 Olympics
The 2024 Summer Olympics officially begin in Paris on July 24 with the Opening Ceremony set for July 26. And you should be able to see several familiar faces competing throughout the games.
We’ve already highlighted a few athletes with local ties but there are even more who will be representing the Crimson Tide and Tigers along with their respective nations.
Keep reading to find out more about the current and former athletes from Alabama and Auburn.
This is the sixth part in our series highlighting Olympians with ties to the state of Alabama. Check out some of our other profiles including:
- Tanner Tessman, soccer
- Nicole and Toni Payne, soccer
- Francois Prinsloo, discus
- Luisa Blanco, gymnastics
- Suni Lee, gymnastics
Alabama Crimson Tide
There will be a total of 16 Tide athletes competing in Paris over the next couple of weeks including two current track stars.
If you’re a Crimson Tide fan, you will want to keep an eye on all the track and field events as there is a wide variety of athletes set to compete. The complete list includes:
- Daniel Haugh | USA | Hammer throw
- Kirani James | Grenada | Track
- Shelby McEwen | USA | High jump
- Samuel Ogazi | Nigeria | Track
- Tarsis Orogot | Uganda | Track
- Jereem Richards | Trinidad & Tobago | Track
- Portious Warren | Trinidad & Tobago | Shot put
James is making his fourth Olympic appearance, already receiving three Olympic medals including one gold in the 400m. Orogot and Ogazi are the two current Alabama stars at the 2024 Olympics.
Swimming has had the most Crimson Tide representation of any Summer Olympic sport. This year, Alabama has five athletes competing in swimming competitions including:
- Kalia Antoniou | Cyprus | 100m freestyle
- Kristian Gkolomeev | Greece | 50m freestyle
- Victor Johansson | Sweden | 800m freestyle
- Anton McKee | Iceland | 100m + 200m breaststroke
- Kyle Micallef | Malta | 50m freestyle
In gymnastics, Alabama will have two athletes competing in the same games for the third time (2004, 2016). Luisa Blanco, competing for Colombia, will be joined by Shallon Olsen who will be representing Canada. It is Olsen’s third trip to the Olympics.
Golfer Stephanie Meadow will play for Team Ireland while Erin Routliffe will hit the tennis courts as a double partner for Team New Zealand.
Auburn University
Auburn counters its in-state rival with 10 athletes who have recently spent some time on The Plains.
The Tigers will also be well represented in track and field events with five total athletes competing including:
- Kanyinsola Ajayi | Nigeria | 100m + 4x100m relay
- Favour Ashe | Nigeria | 100m + 4x100m relay
- Makanakaishe Charamba | Zimbabwe | 200m
- Azeem Fahmi | Malaysia | 100m
- Donald Thomas | Bahamas | High jump
Ajayi was just named the 2024 SEC Freshman of the Year. He and Ashe will team up for the Nigeran 4×100 relay. Fahimi will also compete in the individual 100m after teaming up with Ajayi and Ashe for the Tigers.
Thomas enters his fifth Olympic Games, tying George Bovell, Kirsty Coventry, Glenn Eller and Brett Hawke as the most all-time in Auburn history.
The Tigers have plenty of history in the pool and three Auburn athletes will be hoping to put a spotlight on that prestigious program. That list includes:
- Marcelo Cheirighini | Brazil | 4x100m relay
- Emily Hallifax | France | 10m synchronized diving
- Valerie Tarazi | Palestine | 200m individual medley
Gymnast Suni Lee will be hoping to defend her all-around gold medal from the Tokyo Olympics. She also claimed bronze on the uneven bars and helped Team USA get the silver medal.
Former Auburn tennis player Tim Puetz will be representing Team Germany in the doubles tournament.
Which athlete are you looking forward to watching the most this summer? Let us know on Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn!
