LEXINGTON, Ky (LEX 18 — There’s no bigger stage in sports than the Olympics, and a record-breaking 24 Wildcats are competing in Paris. From track & field to swim and dive, coaches and players alike, these former Cats are contributing to Team USA’s overall medal count!
FENCING
On day two of the games, Lexington native and UK Medical student Lee Kiefer defended her Tokyo 2020 individual foil gold. Keifer became the first U.S. woman to win two Olympic gold medals in individual foil.
GOLD WINNING MOMENT IN PARIS: Lexington-raised fencer Lee Kiefer has won her second Olympic gold in the women's individual foil. AP noted that Kiefer’s wins in 2020 and 2024 are the first since Mariel Zagunis did the same in 2004 and 2008. #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/h82QIJlp4s
— LEX 18 News (@LEX18News) July 29, 2024
TRACK & FIELD
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone won gold in the 400-meter hurdles with a world-record-setting time of 50.37, defending her Olympic gold medal from the Tokyo games. She’s the first woman to win gold twice in the 400-m hurdles.
WHEN YOU’RE GOLD, YOU’RE GOLD! Former UK Track & Field athlete Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone came through for the USA, turning on the jets and taking home the gold medal in the women's 400m hurdles at the Paris Olympics. https://t.co/W3v2UAUSB1 pic.twitter.com/mTUYXXWzmo
— LEX 18 News (@LEX18News) August 8, 2024
Kentucky’s reputation as “Hurdle U” lives on as Daniel Roberts secured silver in the men’s 110-meter hurdles with a time of 13.09.
Masai Russell, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, and Devynne Charlton made up 37.5% of the 100m hurdles Olympic finals. Russell, in her Olympic debut, won gold in a photo finish by .01 seconds. Defending champ in this event in the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn took home bronze.
A picture perfect podium 😻🥇🥉#UKTF x #OlympiansMadeHere | 📸 @gettyimages pic.twitter.com/OqjoliM9UL
— UK Track & Field (@KentuckyTrack) August 10, 2024
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Alexis Holmes helped lead Team USA to its eighth consecutive gold medal in the 4x400m relay breaking the 36-year-old American record in the event with a winning time of 3 minutes, 15.27 seconds. McLaughlin-Levrone captured her second gold medal in this year's games and her fourth gold medal overall. Meanwhile, Holmes claimed her first Olympic medal in her Olympic debut.
THE NEW AMERICAN RECORD IS 50% WILDCAT
— UK Track & Field (@KentuckyTrack) August 10, 2024
SECOND FASTEST TIME IN HISTORY
😼 @gosydgo
😼 @trackqueenlex #UKTF x #OlympiansMadeHere | 📸@GettyImages pic.twitter.com/8W2eVADvWq
BASKETBALL
Women’s basketball alum and 2022 WNBA No. 1 draft pick Rhyne Howard earned a bronze medal in the Women’s 3x3 games.
GO @howard_rhyne! 😼💙@KentuckyWBB https://t.co/btGOlSYZdq
— BBN Tonight (@BBNTonight) August 5, 2024
Men’s Basketball Cats Anthony Davis, Devin Booker, and Bam Adebayo helped defeat France in the gold medal game 98-87 leading Team USA to its fifth consecutive Olympic title.
Gold Medal Wildcats!
— Kentucky Men’s Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) August 10, 2024
Congratulations, @Bam1of1, @DevinBook and @AntDavis23 on winning 🥇 at #Paris2024 with @usabasketball! #OlympainsMadeHere pic.twitter.com/DELCkgHuBy
VOLLEYBALL
2020 NCAA Volleyball Tournament champion Avery Skinner snagged silver for Team USA Women's Volleyball in the gold medal game vs. Italy.
From Kentucky to the medal stand! @averyskinnerr is an Olympic medalist! #OlympiansMadeHere x #WeAreUK pic.twitter.com/LWhsKVK4Jo
— Kentucky Volleyball (@KentuckyVB) August 11, 2024
The 24 Olympians with UK connections passed the previous school record—20—for competitors and coaches who participated in the last Summer Olympics in Tokyo 2021 (officially the 2020 Olympics).
BBN Gameday returns Saturday, August 17th. It is a weekly show, airing Saturday mornings at 9 a.m. on LEX 18, statewide on UK Sports Network affiliate stations, and all the time here on BBNGameday.com.
You can also join us on weeknights at 7:30 p.m. on BBN Tonight.
