(áááScottááá) LeBron James, Steph Curry, Kevin Durant…. Tyrese Haliburton. Yes The former Cyclone is in basketball’s highest stratosphere right now, as a member of Team USA’s Olympic Team. They’re already together, getting ready for Paris This year’s roster is loaded with future hall of famers and all- stars Steph Curry Ant Edwards LeBron James Kevin Durant Kawhi Leonard Jasyon Tatum Jrue Holiday Bam Adebayo Joel Embiid Anthony Davis Devin Booker Haliburton who led the NBA in assists this past year – really just wants to pass. <…EXCITED TO DO THAT.”> First game is July 28 against Serbia
Iowans at the Olympics: See the athletes with Iowa connections competing in Paris
Iowa has a proud history of producing excellent Olympic athletes, including the likes of Shawn Johnson and Dan Gable. More than a dozen athletes with Iowa ties are set to join the list this year in Paris. Some have called Iowa home since birth, and others chose to compete in the state at the collegiate level.Related video above: Former Cyclone Tyrese Haliburton, rest of Team USA train for Paris OlympicsHere’s what to know about each Olympian with Iowa ties ahead of the 2024 games in Paris.Kenny Bednarek, men’s track (USA)Bednarek, 25, became a collegiate track star at Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa. He qualified for Paris in both the 100-meter and 200-meter dash after finishing behind 2020 bronze medalist Noah Lyles in both races at the Olympic Trials.Bednarek is in his second Olympic games. He competed in Tokyo in 2021, earning a silver medal in the 200 meters.Brittany Brown, women’s track (USA)Brown, 29, is a former Iowa Hawkeye. She ran a personal-best 21.90 in the 200 meters at the Olympic Trials to earn her spot in Paris.Brown took seventh place in last year’s 100-meter race at the World Championships.Bridget Carleton, women’s basketball (Canada)Carleton, 27, is competing in her second Olympics with the Canadian women’s basketball team. She started all three games for Canada in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.Carleton starred at Iowa State from 2015-19, starting 121 of a career 124 games and earning All-America honors as a senior. She averaged 21.7 points, 8.6 rebounds and 4 assists per game that season. Carleton plays professionally with the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx.George Conditt IV, men’s basketball (Puerto Rico)Conditt, 23, played four years of college basketball at Iowa State. He was part of two NCAA Tournament teams as a Cyclone, including the 2022 team that made a Sweet 16 run.Now, Conditt plays professionally in Puerto Rico and also represents them on the international stage. Puerto Rico is making its first Olympic appearance in men’s basketball since a sixth-place finish in 2004.Emily Delleman, women’s rowing (USA)Delleman, 26, is heading to her first Olympics in 2024. The Davenport native and Davenport Central graduate competed collegiately at Stanford.Delleman was part of the team that finished ninth at the 2022 World Championships.Melvin Ejim, men’s basketball (Canada)Ejim, 33, is making his Olympics debut in 2024 as the Canada men’s basketball team qualified for its first Olympics since 2000.Ejim starred at Iowa State from 2010-14, including a record-breaking senior year that earned Big 12 Player of the Year honors. Ejim scored a Big 12-record 48 points and grabbed 18 rebounds in a 2014 win over TCU.Megan Gustafson, women’s basketball (Spain)Gustafson, 27, will represent Spain in her Olympic debut.Gustafson became a college basketball superstar at Iowa from 2015-19. She led the nation in scoring twice and is the Big Ten all-time leading rebounder. She led Iowa to an Elite Eight appearance in 2019 while earning National Player of the Year honors.Tyrese Haliburton, men’s basketball (USA)Haliburton, 24, is representing the United States internationally for the third time but is making his Olympic debut.Haliburton spent two years at Iowa State (2018-20) before declaring for the NBA Draft. In four seasons as a pro, Haliburton has made two NBA All-Star appearances, led the league in assists once and earned a third-team All-NBA nod.He led Team USA in assists and steals last year at the FIBA Men’s World Cup.Peter Jok, men’s basketball (South Sudan)*Jok, 30, helped South Sudan qualify for its first-ever Olympics appearance. Only an independent country since 2011, South Sudan has never had an Olympic medalist.Jok was born in now-South Sudan and grew up in Des Moines. He played high school basketball at Roosevelt before transferring to West Des Moines Valley before playing collegiately at Iowa. Jok earned All-Big Ten recognition as a senior in 2017 while averaging 19.9 points and 5.5 rebounds per game.*South Sudan has not publicly announced its 12-man Olympic roster. Jok was among the 10 players to participate in South Sudan’s exhibition versus the United States.Edwin Kurgat, men’s track (Kenya)Kurgat, 28, qualified for his first Olympics in the 5,000 meters.Kurgat was an All-American and national champion runner at Iowa State. He was the Big 12 men’s cross country runner of the year in 2018 and 2019.Cloe Lacasse, women’s soccer (Canada)Lacasse, 31, is making her Olympic debut in Paris. She was a two-time All-Big Ten performer at Iowa and left near the top of the record books in both goals and assists.Lacasse represented Canada on the international stage at the 2023 World Cup.Spencer Lee, wrestling (USA)Lee, 25, is one of the most accomplished athletes in the storied history of Iowa wrestling. Lee is a three-time NCAA champion, two-time Dan Hodge Trophy winner and a five-time All-American at 125 pounds.Lee is making his first appearance at the Olympics. He will compete at 57 kg.Lauren Mansfield, 3×3 women’s basketball (Australia)Mansfield, 34, will represent Australia in 3×3 women’s basketball, the first Australian team to qualify for this competition since the sport was added to the Olympics in 2020.Mansfield played two years of college ball at Iowa State from 2010-12, averaging 8.5 points and 4.2 assists per game over two years. Karissa Schweizer, women’s track (USA)Schweizer, 28, is competing in her second Olympics in 2024.Schweizer was raised in Urbandale and attended Dowling Catholic. She became a college track and cross country star at Missouri, winning multiple national championships in cross country and the 5,000-meter race.Schweizer finished 11th in the 5,000 meters at the Tokyo Olympics and 12th in the 10,000 meters. She qualified for both events again in 2024.Marial Shayok, men’s basketball (South Sudan)*Shayok, 28, is expected to join Peter Jok in representing the South Sudan basketball team in its first-ever Olympics.Shayok spent two years at Iowa State, including a redshirt season. He made the most of his one year on the court, averaging a team-high 18.7 points per game in 2018-19 and leading the Cyclones to a Big 12 Tournament championship.Shayok has become a star this summer for South Sudan. In a pre-Olympics exhibition vs. the United States last weekend, Shayok scored a team-high 24 points, bested only by Team USA star LeBron James’ 25 points. Team USA won, 101-100, after James hit a go-ahead bucket in the final 10 seconds.*South Sudan has not publicly announced its 12-man Olympic roster. Shayok was among the 10 players to participate in South Sudan’s exhibition vs. the United States.Nick Weiler-Babb, men’s basketball (Germany)Weiler-Babb, 28, is making his first Olympics appearance.Weiler-Babb transferred to Iowa State in 2015 and played three years in Ames. He played on two NCAA Tournament teams and won a pair of Big 12 Tournament championships. 2024 Paralympic athletes with Iowa tiesThe 2024 Paralympic Games are also taking place in Paris this summer.Olivia Chambers, swimming (USA): Chambers, 21, is a six-time World Championship medalist. She competes collegiately for Northern Iowa.AJ Fitzpatrick, wheelchair basketball (USA): Fitzpatrick, 19, hails from Cedar Rapids. He is entering his first Paralympics and was the youngest member of the wheelchair basketball team pool. Jessica Heims, discus (USA): Heims, 25, is a two-time Paralympian. She finished 5th in the discus throw in Tokyo and 8th in the 2016 games in Rio de Janeiro. Heims is from Swisher and competed collegiately at Northern Iowa.Erin Kerkhoff, track (USA): Kerkhoff, 23, is set to compete in her second Paralympics after taking 8th place in the 400-meter dash in Tokyo. Kerkhoff is a Coralville native and Solon High School graduate who competes collegiately at Northern Iowa.Jeromie Meyer II, wheelchair basketball (USA): Meyer, 27, is heading to his first Paralympics after helping Team USA win gold at the 2023 World Championships. Meyer is a Woodbine native.Justin Phongsavanh, javelin (USA): Phongsavanh, 27, returns to his second Paralympics after earning a bronze in the javelin throw in 2020. The Ankeny man qualified in the seated javelin again in 2024 with a throw of 31.81 meters. Phongsavanh holds the world record in the event.Matt Stutzman, archery (USA): Stutzman, 41, is entering his fourth Paralympics. The “Armless Archer” took silver in the individual compound open in 2012. Stutzman and his family live in Fairfield. Did we miss anyone? Let us know what other Olympic and Paralympic athletes have Iowa ties by emailing us at [email protected].
Iowa has a proud history of producing excellent Olympic athletes, including the likes of Shawn Johnson and Dan Gable. More than a dozen athletes with Iowa ties are set to join the list this year in Paris.
Some have called Iowa home since birth, and others chose to compete in the state at the collegiate level.
Related video above: Former Cyclone Tyrese Haliburton, rest of Team USA train for Paris Olympics
Here’s what to know about each Olympian with Iowa ties ahead of the 2024 games in Paris.
Bednarek, 25, became a collegiate track star at Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa. He qualified for Paris in both the 100-meter and 200-meter dash after finishing behind 2020 bronze medalist Noah Lyles in both races at the Olympic Trials.
Bednarek is in his second Olympic games. He competed in Tokyo in 2021, earning a silver medal in the 200 meters.
Brown, 29, is a former Iowa Hawkeye. She ran a personal-best 21.90 in the 200 meters at the Olympic Trials to earn her spot in Paris.
Brown took seventh place in last year’s 100-meter race at the World Championships.
Carleton, 27, is competing in her second Olympics with the Canadian women’s basketball team. She started all three games for Canada in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Carleton starred at Iowa State from 2015-19, starting 121 of a career 124 games and earning All-America honors as a senior. She averaged 21.7 points, 8.6 rebounds and 4 assists per game that season. Carleton plays professionally with the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx.
Conditt, 23, played four years of college basketball at Iowa State. He was part of two NCAA Tournament teams as a Cyclone, including the 2022 team that made a Sweet 16 run.
Now, Conditt plays professionally in Puerto Rico and also represents them on the international stage. Puerto Rico is making its first Olympic appearance in men’s basketball since a sixth-place finish in 2004.
Delleman, 26, is heading to her first Olympics in 2024. The Davenport native and Davenport Central graduate competed collegiately at Stanford.
Delleman was part of the team that finished ninth at the 2022 World Championships.
Melvin Ejim, men’s basketball (Canada)
Ejim, 33, is making his Olympics debut in 2024 as the Canada men’s basketball team qualified for its first Olympics since 2000.
Ejim starred at Iowa State from 2010-14, including a record-breaking senior year that earned Big 12 Player of the Year honors. Ejim scored a Big 12-record 48 points and grabbed 18 rebounds in a 2014 win over TCU.
Gustafson, 27, will represent Spain in her Olympic debut.
Gustafson became a college basketball superstar at Iowa from 2015-19. She led the nation in scoring twice and is the Big Ten all-time leading rebounder. She led Iowa to an Elite Eight appearance in 2019 while earning National Player of the Year honors.
Haliburton, 24, is representing the United States internationally for the third time but is making his Olympic debut.
Haliburton spent two years at Iowa State (2018-20) before declaring for the NBA Draft. In four seasons as a pro, Haliburton has made two NBA All-Star appearances, led the league in assists once and earned a third-team All-NBA nod.
He led Team USA in assists and steals last year at the FIBA Men’s World Cup.
Peter Jok, men’s basketball (South Sudan)*
Jok, 30, helped South Sudan qualify for its first-ever Olympics appearance. Only an independent country since 2011, South Sudan has never had an Olympic medalist.
Jok was born in now-South Sudan and grew up in Des Moines. He played high school basketball at Roosevelt before transferring to West Des Moines Valley before playing collegiately at Iowa. Jok earned All-Big Ten recognition as a senior in 2017 while averaging 19.9 points and 5.5 rebounds per game.
*South Sudan has not publicly announced its 12-man Olympic roster. Jok was among the 10 players to participate in South Sudan’s exhibition versus the United States.
Kurgat, 28, qualified for his first Olympics in the 5,000 meters.
Kurgat was an All-American and national champion runner at Iowa State. He was the Big 12 men’s cross country runner of the year in 2018 and 2019.
Cloe Lacasse, women’s soccer (Canada)
Lacasse, 31, is making her Olympic debut in Paris. She was a two-time All-Big Ten performer at Iowa and left near the top of the record books in both goals and assists.
Lacasse represented Canada on the international stage at the 2023 World Cup.
Lee, 25, is one of the most accomplished athletes in the storied history of Iowa wrestling. Lee is a three-time NCAA champion, two-time Dan Hodge Trophy winner and a five-time All-American at 125 pounds.
Lee is making his first appearance at the Olympics. He will compete at 57 kg.
Lauren Mansfield, 3×3 women’s basketball (Australia)
Mansfield, 34, will represent Australia in 3×3 women’s basketball, the first Australian team to qualify for this competition since the sport was added to the Olympics in 2020.
Mansfield played two years of college ball at Iowa State from 2010-12, averaging 8.5 points and 4.2 assists per game over two years.
Schweizer, 28, is competing in her second Olympics in 2024.
Schweizer was raised in Urbandale and attended Dowling Catholic. She became a college track and cross country star at Missouri, winning multiple national championships in cross country and the 5,000-meter race.
Schweizer finished 11th in the 5,000 meters at the Tokyo Olympics and 12th in the 10,000 meters. She qualified for both events again in 2024.
Marial Shayok, men’s basketball (South Sudan)*
Shayok, 28, is expected to join Peter Jok in representing the South Sudan basketball team in its first-ever Olympics.
Shayok spent two years at Iowa State, including a redshirt season. He made the most of his one year on the court, averaging a team-high 18.7 points per game in 2018-19 and leading the Cyclones to a Big 12 Tournament championship.
Shayok has become a star this summer for South Sudan. In a pre-Olympics exhibition vs. the United States last weekend, Shayok scored a team-high 24 points, bested only by Team USA star LeBron James’ 25 points. Team USA won, 101-100, after James hit a go-ahead bucket in the final 10 seconds.
*South Sudan has not publicly announced its 12-man Olympic roster. Shayok was among the 10 players to participate in South Sudan’s exhibition vs. the United States.
Weiler-Babb, 28, is making his first Olympics appearance.
Weiler-Babb transferred to Iowa State in 2015 and played three years in Ames. He played on two NCAA Tournament teams and won a pair of Big 12 Tournament championships.
2024 Paralympic athletes with Iowa ties
The 2024 Paralympic Games are also taking place in Paris this summer.
- Olivia Chambers, swimming (USA): Chambers, 21, is a six-time World Championship medalist. She competes collegiately for Northern Iowa.
- AJ Fitzpatrick, wheelchair basketball (USA): Fitzpatrick, 19, hails from Cedar Rapids. He is entering his first Paralympics and was the youngest member of the wheelchair basketball team pool.
- Jessica Heims, discus (USA): Heims, 25, is a two-time Paralympian. She finished 5th in the discus throw in Tokyo and 8th in the 2016 games in Rio de Janeiro. Heims is from Swisher and competed collegiately at Northern Iowa.
- Erin Kerkhoff, track (USA): Kerkhoff, 23, is set to compete in her second Paralympics after taking 8th place in the 400-meter dash in Tokyo. Kerkhoff is a Coralville native and Solon High School graduate who competes collegiately at Northern Iowa.
- Jeromie Meyer II, wheelchair basketball (USA): Meyer, 27, is heading to his first Paralympics after helping Team USA win gold at the 2023 World Championships. Meyer is a Woodbine native.
- Justin Phongsavanh, javelin (USA): Phongsavanh, 27, returns to his second Paralympics after earning a bronze in the javelin throw in 2020. The Ankeny man qualified in the seated javelin again in 2024 with a throw of 31.81 meters. Phongsavanh holds the world record in the event.
- Matt Stutzman, archery (USA): Stutzman, 41, is entering his fourth Paralympics. The “Armless Archer” took silver in the individual compound open in 2012. Stutzman and his family live in Fairfield.
Did we miss anyone? Let us know what other Olympic and Paralympic athletes have Iowa ties by emailing us at [email protected].
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