With today marking the start of the Paris Olympics, with Opening Ceremonies stealing the world stage, here’s a quick look at the seven Kansas athletes who are representing the Jayhawks and their respective countries in this year’s Summer Olympic Games.
As you might recall, head KU track coach Stanley Redwine is the head coach for Team USA Track & Field this summer, with Tim Weaver, who served as meet director of the Kansas Relays from 2000 to 2006, joining him as Team USA’s track and field event manager.
Both have extensive experience in international coaching and Redwine was an assistant coach for Team USA Track & Field at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
“I am honored for the opportunity and am excited that I get to be around the other coaches from other schools and just to help Team USA get better,” Redwine said at the time he was announced as Team USA’s head coach. “Being around those athletes, there’s not a lot that they really need from me. I will get more out of it than they will. Just to serve them is a great opportunity.”
Here’s a look at the seven Jayhawks, current and former, who will be over in Paris with Redwine, including six in the world of track and field.
Hussain Al-Hizam
The 2021 KU graduate will compete for his home country of Saudi Arabia in the pole vault. Al-Hizam, 26, has twice competed in the World Championships before breaking through to make his Olympic debut.
Joel Embiid
The former KU basketball center who has an NBA MVP honor to his name with the Philadelphia 76ers will be competing for Team USA in the basketball competition. A native of Cameroon, Embiid became a U.S. citizen in 2022 and elected to play for Team USA in this year’s Olympics. He’s the first Jayhawk since Danny Manning in 1988 to play for Team USA on the basketball floor.
Alexandra Emilianov
This former Jayhawk and multi-time All-American will compete in the women’s discus for her home country of Moldova. Emilianov, 24, took 30th at her first Olympic Games in 2021 in Tokyo.
Bryce Hoppel
One of the world’s best in the 800, the former Jayhawk recently won the Olympic Trials by running a meet-record and personal-best time of 1:42.77. Hoppel took 16th in his signature event in 2021 in Tokyo.
Michael Joseph
This recent NCAA Indoor Nationals qualifier and current Jayhawk will be competing for his home country of St. Lucia in the 400-meter run. He also will be the flag bearer for St. Lucia at the Opening Ceremonies.
Sharon Lokedi
The highly accomplished KU distance runner will represent her native Kenya in the marathon competition. This marks Lokedi’s first Olympics and first time competing for her national team. Lokedi, 30, won a national title in the 10,000 meters back in 2018 and also won the New York Marathon in 2022.
Yoveiny Mota
The native Venezuelan hurdler who just finished up her college career at KU this spring, qualified for the Olympics with her home country late in the outdoor season. Mota, 24, qualified for Outdoor Nationals and took 14th at the meet in Oregon.
Liana Salazar
Salazar, who will be competing in her third Olympics with the women's national soccer team in her home country of Colombia, played at KU from 2011-15 and was inducted into the Kansas Athletics Hall of Fame in August 2023 as a three-time first team all-Big 12 selection and a member of two NCAA Tournament teams.
Here's a quick look at when each track athlete will compete in Paris, while Embiid and Team USA Basketball will open play against Serbia on July 28 with the bronze and gold medal games being played on Aug. 10. Salazar and Colombia also open pool play in Group A on July 28, with the bronze medal match set for Aug. 9 & the gold medal game slated for Aug. 10...
Emilianov: Aug. 2
Al-Hizam: Aug. 3
Joseph: Aug. 4
Mota: Aug. 7
Hoppel: Aug. 7
Lokedi: Aug. 11
