ST. LOUIS — The kickoff of the 2024 Paris Olympics nears, and residents around St. Louis will soon be able to cheer for their hometown heroes as they compete on the world's stage.
Ceremonies, gymnastics, soccer and more will mark the beginning of the Games on July 26 and will last through Aug. 11 with over 10,000 athletes representing their respective countries.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: 1 year out: Early look at St. Louis-area athletes who may represent US at Olympics
Multiple athletes from the St. Louis area have already qualified for the Games a month ahead of the event's beginning. A list of the athletes who have already qualified for the Games can be found below.
The former University of Missouri track star punched her ticket to Paris in the 5000-meter race.
Karissa Schweizer, a 2018 MU grad, won six NCAA titles for the Tigers. Paris won't be her first Olympic journey. She finished 11th in the 5,000-meter race and 12th in the 10,000-meter race at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. She also placed 9th and 15th at the 10,000-meter and 5,000-meter races at the 2022 World Championships.
Moscow Mills native and Troy Buchanan High School graduate DeAnna Price qualified on June 23 for her third Olympics after she finished second in the trials with a throw of 74.49 meters.
Price won gold at the 2019 World Championships and the 2023 Pan American Games, but she is still seeking her first Olympic medal. She finished eighth in Tokyo in 2021 after and ankle injury hampered her performance.
Her throw of 80.31 meters in the 2021 Olympic trials remains the U.S. record.
Price will join Annette Echikunwoke, who finished first in the trials with a throw of 74.68 meters.
The women's hammer throw events will be held on Aug. 4 and 6.
Ballwin's hometown hero at this Olympics is world-decorated diver Tyler Downs. The 20-year-old is the youngest of seven and attended Laurel Springs Online School, graduating in 2021.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Ballwin native Tyler Downs qualifies for Olympics in synchronized 3-meter
Downs started diving at 5 years old, winning a national championship in his age group on the 1-meter board at age 12. He qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics when he was 17.
Downs has placed highly in numerous high-prestige competitions, including:
- Six-time individual junior national champion.
- Five-time national champion (three synchronized 3-meter titles, one 3-meter title, and one 1-meter title).
- Gold medals in the 3-meter and synchronized 3-meter at the 2019 Junior Pan American Championships.
- Silver medal in the 1-meter at the 2018 World Junior Diving Championships.
- Bronze medal in the synchronized 3-meter at the 2023 Pan American Games.
- Bronze medal in the synchronized 3-meter at the 2024 World Cup Berlin.
Known largely for his domination on the court playing for the Boston Celtics, Jayson Tatum got his start in St. Louis. The NBA All-Star grew up in University City, attending and playing for Chaminade College Preparatory School in Creve Coeur.
Tatum was drafted by the Celtics in the first round in 2017, the third pick overall. He's been with the team ever since.
He has numerous gold medals under his belt, including:
- 2020 Olympic Games.
- 2015 FIBA U19 World Championship.
- 2014 FIBA U17 World Championship.
- 2013 FIBA Americas U16 Championship.
Team Captain, mom and gold medal-winning Olympian: Napheesa Collier has many titles, including St. Charles native. Collier was born in Jefferson City and was raised in St. Charles, attending Incarnate Word Academy and leading them to three Missouri Class 4 state championships.
Collier started earning acolytes early, being named the Gatorade Missouri Player of the Year in 2013 and 2015 and the 2015 USA Today Missouri Player of the Year.
She was drafted by the Minnesota Lynx in 2019, earning numerous awards including being named the WNBA All-Star, Associated Press WNBA Rookie of the Year, and being placed on the All-WNBA second team. She then went on to win the gold medal at the 2019 FIBA AmeriCup.
Emily Sisson graduated from Chesterfield's Parkway Central High School after setting numerous records, including earning a 5000-meter gold medal and a 3000-meter gold medal at the USATF Junior (U20) Championships. She was crowned the Missouri Class 4 state champion in the 1,600 and 3,200 meter.
She went on to attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison for a year before transferring to Providence College in Rhode Island, becoming a two-time NCAA champion in the 5000 meter.
She has gone on to place in numerous other high-profile races, including:
- 10th at the 2020 Tokyo Olumpic Games in the 10,000 meter.
- 10th at the 2019 World Outdoor Championships in the 10,000 meter.
- 9th at the 2017 World Outdoor Championships in the 10,000 meter.
- 6th at the 2010 World Junior (U20) Championships in the 5,000 meter.
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