AUSTIN (KXAN) — Of the 30 current and former Texas Longhorns headed to the 2024 Paris Olympics, more than half will compete for a country other than the United States.
Sixteen Longhorn athletes are spread out among 12 nations outside of the U.S. with three representing Jamaica, all in women's track and field. Former UT athletes Lanae-Tava Thomas is running the 200-meter dash, Stacey-Ann Williams is in the 400 and the 4x400-meter relay while current Longhorn Ackelia Smith will compete in both the long and triple jumps.
Two will compete for Germany, decathlete Leo Neugebauer and swimmer Anna Elendt. Neugebauer posted the highest decathlon score in the world this year with 8,961 points at the NCAA championships and Elendt is entered in the women's 100-meter breaststroke and 4x100 medley relay. Another pair of women, Julia Grosso in soccer and Mariam Abdul-Rashid in the 100-meter hurdles, will represent Canada.
The remaining international Longhorn athletes will represent St. Lucia, Serbia, Ireland, Hungary, Czechia, Chinese Taipei, Haiti, Netherlands and New Zealand. Tennis player Lulu Sun, who recently advanced to the women's quarterfinals of her first appearance at Wimbledon, will compete in doubles for her country. Julien Alfred, the 2023 Bowerman Award winner for the Longhorns, is entered in the 100 and 200 for St. Lucia.
Newly hired UT head swimming coach Bob Bowman will lead the French national swim team at the Games, and former Longhorn basketball standout Royal Ivey will coach the South Sudan men's basketball team in its first-ever Olympic tournament. UT track and field coach Edrick Floreal is pulling triple duty and serving as an assistant coach for the track teams of Great Britain, St. Lucia and Ireland.
The remaining 14 athletes with UT connections will compete for the Stars and Stripes. Kevin Durant will try to win an unprecedented fourth gold medal in men's basketball and Ryan Crouser will go for his third consecutive gold medal in the men's shot put. Five Longhorns are entered in men's swimming and two on the women's rowing team.
The opening ceremony is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. CT, July 26.
