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 qualified for the Games now that the Opening Ceremony is just a few weeks away. A list of the athletes who have qualified for the Games can be found below.
East Alton native Jayden Ulrich is headed to the Olympics for the first time.
Ulrich posted the second-best discus throw of 62.63 meters in the final round of the Olympic trials on June 27, and she was officially named to the team on July 9.
Ulrich is an East Alton-Wood River High School graduate. She just finished her junior year at the University of Louisville. She was the runner-up in the women's discus throw in the 2024 NCAA national championships.
She will be joined by Veronica Fraley and Olympic champion Valarie Allman in the women's discus competition. The qualification round will be on Aug. 2, and the finals will be on Aug. 5.
Patrick Schulte was already called an "American Hero" before he was named to the U.S. Men's Olympic Soccer Team on Monday, but he's been considered a St. Louis Hero for years.
Schulte is a St. Charles native who graduated from the Francis Howell R-III School District. He was a three-time All-American, signed an Academy contract with Saint Louis FC first team and was called to the U.S. U18 Men's National Team camp all before he started his time at Saint Louis University. There, he was named the Most Outstanding Player of the A-10 Championship while helping the Billikens to an undefeated regular season, multiple tournament titles, and an NCAA quarterfinal appearance.
"Perhaps the scariest thing is that there’s still room for growth. Schulte is nowhere near his prime – and the sky’s the limit," the U.S. Soccer website said.
Brandon Miller, a St. Louis native and John Burroughs graduate, qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics on June 30, placing third in the 800-meter race during the Olympic Trials in Oregon.
Miller made a name for himself throughout Missouri while attending John Burroughs. He was a state champion and a state record holder in the 800-meter event.
Two siblings from St. Louis have both swimming and the Olympics in their blood. They'll now get to test their prowess on the world's stage.
Alex and Aaron Shackell were born in St. Louis to swimmer parents. Their father, Nicholas, swam for Great Britain during the Olympic Games in Atlanta in 1996. They have since moved to Carmel, Indiana.
Both have carved their own paths for glory, Alex in the 200m Freestyle and Butterfly, and Aaron in the 400m Freestyle.
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.
Freddie Crittenden III, a St. Louis native and former McCluer North High School student, qualified for the Olympics after placing second in the 110-meter hurdle race at the Olympic Trials in Oregon.
Crittenden, who attended McCluer North before his family moved to Utica, Michigan, already made history. His qualifying race was the first time in history that the top three all finished with sub-13 second times.
Crittenden lists his previous top finish at the 2023 World Championships, where he placed fourth in the 110-meter hurdle race.
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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