Florida State University’s Stellar Performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics
The Florida State University (FSU) athletes achieved remarkable success at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games with a record-breaking participation of twenty-six athletes representing nineteen different nations across five diverse sports. This achievement surpassed the previous record of twenty-three athletes from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, showcasing the university’s consistent development of elite athletes in the international arena.
Since 1996, Seminole athletes have been a presence at every Olympic Games, collectively securing a notable total of sixteen medals, including five gold medals prior to the 2024 events. This year’s roster included a mix of alumni, current students, and incoming athletes contributing to a rich tradition of excellence.
Among the state universities, Florida State University distinguished itself by sending the second largest contingent of athletes, surpassed only by the University of Florida, which had forty-one athletes. The University of Miami followed with thirteen athletes, while both the University of Central Florida and the University of South Florida contributed six athletes each.
Significantly, Jenna Nighswonger (class of 2022), Emily Sans (class of 2021), and Casey Krueger (class of 2012) proudly represented the United States in women’s soccer, while Gabby Carle (class of 2021) played for Team Canada and Onyi Echegini (class of 2023) competed for Nigeria. Notably, Nighswonger, Sans, and Echegini participated as first-time Olympians, while Krueger and Carle previously garnered medals in the Tokyo Games.
In an outstanding accomplishment, the trio of Nighswonger, Echegini, and Sans played pivotal roles in securing a gold medal for Team USA after a narrow 1-0 victory over Brazil, marking the sixth time FSU athletes have earned gold, the first since 2012 for Team USA.
The women’s basketball team for Spain included Maria Conde (class of 2017), Leticia Romero (class of 2017), and Leonor Rodrigue (class of 2013), who advanced to the quarterfinals before being defeated by Belgium.
Canadian golfer Morgane Metraux (class of 2018) represented Switzerland and performed commendably with a score of -2, placing her 18th overall. Cristobal Del Solar, originally slated to participate for Chile in men’s golf, made a strategic decision to forgo his Olympic opportunity to pursue a PGA Tour card instead.
Swimming was another area of strong representation for FSU, with seven swimmers participating. Remarkably, only three swimmers advanced to the finals: Peter Varjasi (class of 2024) and Max McCusker (class of 2022) contributed to Team Germany, achieving 7th place in the men’s 4x100m freestyle, while McCusker along with Team Ireland secured 12th place in the men’s 4x100m medley relay. Emma Terebo (class of 2021) also made FSU proud with a 7th place finish in the women’s 100m for Team France.
The track and field program exhibited the largest number of participants, with nine athletes competing. Adriaan Wildschutt (class of 2022) and Lauren Ryan (class of 2021) successfully advanced to the finals, with Wildschutt achieving the highest ranked finish for FSU among track athletes by placing 10th in the 10,000m event for Team South Africa. Ryan earned a commendable 13th place in the 5,000m for Team Australia. Jeremiah Davis (class of 2025) represented Team USA but did not qualify beyond the preliminary rounds despite placing 8th in his group.
Looking towards the future, Florida State University anticipates further representation at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, with the hope of even greater participation on American soil. The remarkable accomplishments of these athletes underscore FSU’s commitment to fostering talent and athletic excellence on the global stage.
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