Editor’s note: These capsules highlight 41 Olympians with Colorado ties. In determining who counted as a Coloradan, we included athletes who attended a Colorado high school or college, as well as those who currently live or train primarily in the state. Think we missed someone? Email sports@denverpost.com with your addition.
BASKETBALL
Canyon Barry
Specialty: 3×3 (guard)
Colorado connection: Graduate of Cheyenne Mountain High in Colorado Springs
What to know: Barry is the son of Basketball Hall of Famer Rick Barry and known for his “granny style” free-throw shooting.
Competing: vs. Serbia July 30; vs. Poland July 31; vs. Lithuania, vs. Latvia Aug. 1; vs. France and vs. China Aug. 2; vs. Netherlands Aug. 4
Results: Team USA was eliminated Aug. 4 after a 21-6 loss to Netherlands. Barry scored 16 of the Americans’ 21 points 21 points in a win over France, then dropped 14 more in a 21-17 victory over China. The U.S. went 2-5 in pool play.
Jimmer Fredette
Specialty: 3×3 (guard)
Colorado connection: Littleton resident
What to know: A unanimous national college player of the year at BYU, Fredette played six seasons in the NBA.
Competing: vs. Serbia July 30; vs. Poland July 31; vs. Lithuania, vs. Latvia Aug. 1; vs. France and vs. China Aug. 2; vs. Netherlands Aug. 4
Results: Team USA was eliminated Aug. 4 after a 21-6 loss to Netherlands. After their opening loss to Serbia, Fredette was injured in the second game, a loss to Poland, and the team was forced to play the next five games without him. Fredette later revealed on social media that he has two torn ligaments in his adductor, calling the injury “devastating.”
Nikola Jokic (Serbia)
Specialty: 5×5 (center)
Colorado connection: Reigning NBA MVP and starting center for the Nuggets
What to know: Have you heard this guy likes horses?
Competing: vs. United States, 1 p.m. Thursday; bronze/gold medal game Aug. 10
Results: The Serbians went 2-1 in pool play, with their only loss coming against the United States in their opening game of the tournament. The two will meet again in the semifinals of the single-elimination bracket on Thursday (1 p.m.) after Serbia outlasted Australia, 95-90, in overtime of their quarterfinal meeting. Jokic averaged 19.3 points, 11.8 rebounds and 7.5 assists on 60.4% shooting through the first four games.
Nick Kay (Australia)
Specialty: 5×5 (forward)
Colorado connection: Starred at Metro State from 2011-15, leading the team to four Division II NCAA Tournament appearances, including two Final Fours.
What to know: Kay is one of many Australian stars who played for the Roadrunners over the years, which included former Olympians David Barlow and Mark Worthington.
Competing: vs. Spain, July 27; vs. Canada, July 30; vs. Greece, Aug. 2; vs. Serbia (quarterfinal), Aug. 6
Results: Australia was eliminated by Serbia 95-90, in overtime of their quarterfinal meeting.
Jamal Murray (Canada)
Specialty: 5×5 (guard)
Colorado connection: 2023 NBA champion with the Denver Nuggets
What to know: Team Canada also features familiar names like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Dillon Brooks, RJ Barrett, and Kelly Olynyk.
Competing: vs. Greece June 27; vs. Australia June 30; vs. Spain Aug. 3; vs. France (quarterfinal), Aug. 6
Results: Murray and the Canadian national team were eliminated in the quarterfinals of the single-elimination bracket by host France in an 82-73 loss. Murray struggled in the loss (3-of-13 shooting, seven points, one assist three turnovers) and throughout his time in Paris. Murray finished the tournament at 6.0 points, 3.8 assists and 2.3 turnovers per game, averaging 21 minutes in four contests. He shot 29% from the field and 14% from 3-point range.
Derrick White
Specialty: 5×5 (guard)
Colorado connection: Graduate of Legend High in Parker, played at UCCS and CU
What to know: Itap been a big year already for White, who won an NBA championship with the Boston Celtics in June and signed a $118 million contract extension a few weeks later.
Competing: vs. Serbia July 28; vs. South Sudan July 31; vs. Puerto Rico Aug. 3; vs. Brazil (quarterfinal) Aug. 6; vs. Serbia (semifinal) Aug. 8; bronze/gold medal game Aug. 10
Results: White has been a consistent contributor for the undefeated Americans, averaging 18.1 minutes per game with 4.8 points, 2.0 assists and 1.5 steals. The United States will face Serbia for the second time Thursday (1 p.m.) in the semifinals for a spot in the gold medal game.
Essential reading:
- Colorado native, Celtics guard Derrick White reflects on being an NBA champion: “I’m super thankful.”
- Keeler: Derrick White proud to tick one box Chauncey Billups never did: repping Colorado, Denver at Summer Olympics.
CYCLING
Riley Amos
Specialty: Mountain bike
Colorado connection: Lists Denver as hometown, trains in Durango
What to know: Amos and Christopher Blevins are hoping to end the Americans’ 12-year Olympic medal drought in mountain biking. The U.S. has never won gold.
Competing: Men’s cross-country, July 28-29
Results: Amos finished seventh, the highest of any American in the race, with a time of 1:28:08. Gold medal winner Thomas Pidcock, of Great Britain, finished in 1:26:22.
Christopher Blevins
Specialty: Mountain bike
Colorado connection: Born and raised in Durango
What to know: Blevins is looking to improve on his performance at the Tokyo Olympics, where he finished 14th.
Competing: Men’s cross-country, July 28-29
Results: Blevins finished 13th with a time of 1:29:06.
Savilia Blunk
Specialty: Mountain bike
Colorado connection: Attended Fort Lewis College, now trains in Durango
What to know: This four-time elite national champion is a first-time Olympian.
Competing: Women’s cross-country, July 28
Results: Blunk finished 12th with a time of 1:31:52. Teammate Haley Batten took silver at 1:28:59, behind winner Pauline Ferrand Prevot, of France, at 1:26:02.
Olivia Cummins
Specialty: Road and track
Colorado connection: From Fort Collins, currently competes for Colorado Mesa University
What to know: Cummins is believed to be the first active CMU athlete to compete in the Olympics.
Competing: Women’s team pursuit Aug. 6-7
Chloé Dygert
Specialty: Road and track
Colorado connection: Lives and trains in Colorado Springs
What to know: Dygertap comeback from a 2020 crash that nearly severed her leg has been full of setbacks. In addition to multiple surgeries, in 2022 was diagnosed with Epstein-Barr virus, which causes severe fatigue. She underwent heart surgery to correct an arrhythmia.
Competing: Women’s time trial July 27; women’s road race Aug. 4; women’s team pursuit Aug. 6-7
Results: Despite a disappointing crash in the time trial, Dygert took home bronze with a time of 41:10.70. Another crash derailed her hopes of medaling in the road race, finishing 15th in 4:03:03. Teammate Kristen Faulkner took gold with a 3:59:23. Capped off Olympics by winning gold in the team pursuit competition with Lily Williams, Kristen Faulkner and fellow Colorado Springs resident Jennifer Valente. The foursome took down New Zealand (4:04.927) in a time of 4 minutes, 4.306 seconds.
Grant Koontz
Specialty: Road and track
Colorado connection: Lives in Nederland, rides professional for Denver Disruptors
What to know: You’ll recognize this Texas A&M graduate by his distinctive mullet hairstyle.
Competing: Men’s omnium, Aug. 8
Jennifer Valente
Specialty: Track
Colorado connection: Attended UCCS, trains in Colorado Springs
What to know: America’s most decorated track cyclist, the San Diego native won gold (omnium) and bronze (team pursuit) in Tokyo and silver (team pursuit) in Rio. She is targeting Sarah Hammer’s record of four Olympic medals by a female American cyclist.
Competing: Women’s team pursuit Aug. 6-7; women’s madison Aug. 9; women’s omnium Aug. 11
Results: Began her Olympics by winning gold in the team pursuit competition with Lily Williams, Kristen Faulkner and fellow Colorado Springs resident Chloé Dygert. The foursome took down New Zealand (4:04.927) in a time of 4 minutes, 4.306 seconds.
GOLF
Wyndham Clark
Colorado connection: Born in Denver, Valor Christian graduate
What to know: Life’s been a whirlwind for Clark, 30, since winning both his first PGA Tour event (Wells Fargo Championship) and first major (U.S. Open) last year. The former Oklahoma State and Oregon golfer is expected to return to Colorado shortly after the Olympics for the BMW Championship, Aug. 22-25 at Castle Pines Golf Club.
Competing: Men’s stroke play, Aug. 1-4
Results: Clark finished tied for 14th within 11-under 273. Teammate Scottie Scheffler brought home gold with a 265.
Essential reading:
GYMNASTICS
Lynnzee Brown (Haiti)
Specialty: All-around
Colorado connection: Former All-American, co-national champion at DU
What to know: Brown, now an assistant coach at Penn State, will be representing Haiti in Paris.
Competing: Women’s qualification round, July 28
Results: Brown became the first gymnast ever to represent Haiti at the Olympics when she competed in qualifying. Despite beating the highest mark of her elite career, she finished 54th in the individual all-around rankings with a score of 48.832 and did not advance. She was No. 64 on floor, No. 70 on beam and No. 74 on bars.
ROWING
Jessica Thoennes
Specialty: Women’s pair
Colorado connection: Graduate of Mountain Vista High in Highlands Ranch
What to know: Thoennes and Team USA finished two seconds short of medaling in the women’s eight in Tokyo, then she didn’t make the eight boat for Paris. She’ll be looking for redemption in the pairs competition with first-time Olympian Azja Czajkowski.
Competing: Women’s pair, July 28-Aug. 2
Results: Thoennes and Czajkowski finished fourth.
SHOOTING
Rylan Kissell
Specialty: Rifle
Colorado connection: Graduate of Dakota Ridge High in Littleton
What to know: Kissell was a team and individual national champion at University of Alaska-Fairbanks. He just received his bachelor’s degree in business administration in May.
Competing: Mixed air rifle July 27; men’s air rifle July 28-29; men’s 50m rifle 3 positions July 31-Aug. 1
Results: Finished 13th in mixed air rifle, 35th in men’s air rifle and 38th in men’s 50m rifle three positions.
Keith Sanderson
Specialty: Pistol
Colorado connection: Lives in Monument
What to know: Sanderson spent eight years in the U.S. Marine Corps and is a three-time Olympian (2008, 2012, 2016). In 2021 he sued the Denver-based U.S. Center for SafeSport to keep his spot on the Tokyo team following a suspension for sexual misconduct. A federal judge dismissed the case.
Results: Finished 19th in men’s 25m rapid pistol.
Competing: Men’s 25m rapid fire pistol, Aug. 4-5
SOCCER
Janine Beckie (Canada)
Colorado connection: Born in Highlands Ranch and starred at Valor Christian High School
What to know: Beckie, 29, is playing in her third Olympic Games for Team Canada, having won a bronze in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and a gold in Tokyo in 2021.
Competing: vs. New Zealand, July 25; vs. France, July 28; vs. Colombia, July 31
Results: The Canadians reached the knockout round but lost to Germany in a shootout in the quarterfinals.
Lindsey Horan
Colorado connection: Graduate of Golden High
What to know: Now the USWNT captain, the midfielder won a World Cup with the U.S. in 2019 and a bronze medal in Tokyo. Horan & Co. will be tasked with getting that bad taste out of their mouths after last year’s Round of 16 exit from the World Cup.
Competing: vs. Brazil (gold medal match), 11 a.m. Aug. 10
Results: Has played in all five matches for the Americans, who went undefeated through group play and then beat Germany, 1-0, in the semifinals to set up a showdown with Brazil in the gold medal match on Saturday in Paris.
Sophia Smith
Colorado connection: From Windsor, Fossil Ridge High graduate
What to know: At just 23 years old, Smith’s resume already includes an NCAA title with Stanford, NWSL title with MVP honors with the Portland Thorns, and a World Cup appearance. The forward was the first player born in the 2000s to compete for the U.S. senior national team. Will she add Olympic gold this year?
Competing: vs. Brazil (gold medal match), 11 a.m. Aug. 10
Results: Smith has scored three goals through five matches, including the game-winner in the Americans’ semifinal victory over Germany. The gold medal game is next.
Mallory Swanson
Colorado connection: Graduate of Mountain Vista in Highlands Ranch
What to know: Swanson tore her left patella tendon in 2023, forcing her to miss the World Cup. The 26-year-old forward, who signed a record-breaking contract with the Chicago Red Stars earlier this year, scored twice in a 4-0 win over South Korea in last month’s friendly in Commerce City. If she’s back to her pre-injury form, the Americans should be in good shape.
Competing: vs. Brazil (gold medal match), 11 a.m. Aug. 10
Results: Swanson has three goals and two assists through five games for the Americans. Her through ball set up Smith for the game-winner in the semifinals.
Essential reading:
Djordje Mihailovic
Specialty: Midfielder
Colorado connection: Plays for Rapids
What to know: Mihailovic is one of just three players over age 23 on the U.S. roster, per Olympic rules. Itap a sort of redemption for the 25-year-old, who played on the U23 team that failed to qualify for the Tokyo Games.
Competing: vs. France July 24; vs. New Zealand July 27; vs. Guinea July 30
Results: Despite producing one of the most memorable goals of the tournament, Mihailovic and the Americans were sent home with a 4-0 loss to Morocco in the quarterfinals of the knockout stage.
Essential reading:
SPORT CLIMBING
Colin Duffy
Specialty: Combined boulder and lead
Colorado connection: From Broomfield, current CU student
What to know: At 17, Duffy was the youngest climber at the Tokyo Games when the sport made its Olympic debut, finishing seventh. Duffy, as well as teammates Natalia Grossman and Brooke Raboutou, have a chance to claim the first American sport climbing gold at the Olympics.
Competing: Men’s boulder and lead, Aug. 5-9
Essential reading:
Natalia Grossman
Specialty: Combined boulder and lead
Colorado connection: Graduate of Fairview High and CU
What to know: Grossman was watching stateside when sport climbing made its Olympic debut in Tokyo. Now she’s making history as the first Latina climber for Team USA. Grossman punched her ticket to Paris with a gold medal win at the Pan American Games last fall.
Competing: Women’s boulder and lead, Aug. 6-10
Brooke Raboutou
Specialty: Combine boulder and lead
Colorado connection: Graduate of Fairview High, trains in Boulder
What to know: Brooke’s parents, Robyn Erbesfield-Raboutou and Didier Raboutou, coached her, Duffy and Grossman on Team ABC Boulder. Raboutou was the eighth and final American to qualify for Paris.
Competing: Women’s boulder and lead, Aug. 6-10
SWIMMING
Emma Weber
Specialty: Breaststroke
Colorado connection: Denver native, Regis Jesuit graduate
What to know: Weber originally planned to attend the Paris Games as a spectator. Then she took second in the 100-meter breaststroke with a personal-best 1:06.02. The University of Virginia rising junior will join Cavaliers teammates Alex and Gretchen Walsh and two recent UVA alumnae in Kate Douglass and Paige Madden. About 25% of the U.S. women’s swim team — coached by Todd DeSorbo, who’s led the Hoos to four straight national titles — hails from Virginia’s program.
Competing: Women’s 100-meter breaststroke, July 28-29
Results: Finished eighth in her heat of the women’s 100-meter breaststroke.
Essential reading:
TRACK & FIELD
Valarie Allman
Specialty: Discus
Colorado connection: Graduate of Silver Creek in Longmont
What to know: The former Stanford All-American is heading to Paris to defend her gold medal in Tokyo. A 68.98-meter throw was enough to top the podium in Tokyo three years ago, but the 70.89 she threw at Olympic trials last month wasn’t even her personal best (that would be 71.46).
Competing: Women’s discus, Aug. 2-5
Results: Became the first American woman to win two gold medals in the discus, exciting fans in Stade de France and in Longmont.
Essential reading:
Valerie Constien
Specialty: Steeplechase
Colorado connection: Graduate of Battle Mountain in Edwards, ran at CU
What to know: The 28-year-old beat her personal best by 11 seconds to win at Olympic qualifying and punch a ticket to her second Olympics. Constien, who works full-time as a customer service agent for running tech company Stryde, also plays the piano and French horn.
Competing: Women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase, Aug. 4-6
Results: Reached the steeplechase final and placed 15th in 9:34.08.
Elise Cranny
Specialty: 5,000 meters
Colorado connection: From Niwot
What to know: The former Stanford runner has been vocal about her struggle with relative energy deficiency in sports (RED-S), which affects athletes who (intentionally or unintentionally) do not eat enough food to fuel their workouts. Cranny says it’s a major problem in the distance running world, where athletes feel pressure to get faster by losing body mass. Now she mentors young female athletes through Voice in Sport.
Competing: Women’s 5,000 meters, Aug. 2-5
Results: Reached the 5,000 meters final and finished 11th in 14:48.06.
Anna Hall
Specialty: Heptathlon
Colorado connection: From Longmont, Valor Christian graduate
What to know: The top-ranked heptathlete in the world, Hall could be a breakout star in her first Olympics. Only six months after a January knee surgery, the former Florida Gator was at the top of the podium at Olympic qualifying.
Competing: Women’s heptathlon, Aug. 8-9
Essential reading:
Woody Kincaid
Specialty: 10K
Colorado connection: Graduate of Columbine in Littleton
What to know: Kincaid’s trademark is his closing kick. In 2023, it helped him win the U.S. men’s 10K title with a time of 28 minutes, 23.01 seconds (fellow Coloradan Elise Cranny won the women’s race in 32:12.30) and secured him the North American indoor record (12:51.61) in the 5K.
Competing: Men’s 10K, Aug. 2
Results: Finished 10th in the 10,000 meters in 27:29.40.
Leonard Korir
Specialty: Marathon
Colorado connection: Colorado Springs resident
What to know: After growing up in Kenya, Korir ran at Iona College and then enlisted in the U.S. Army and joined its World Class Athlete program at Fort Carson. The staff sergeant competed in Rio in 2016, then missed out on a trip to Tokyo by three seconds. His status for Paris was up in the air as the third-place finisher at the trials in February with only two men’s marathon spots “unlocked” for the U.S. On June 4, Korir got word he was Paris-bound after World Athletics granted the Americans an additional spot.
Competing: Men’s marathon, Aug. 10
Hellen Obiri (Kenya)
Specialty: Marathon
Colorado connection: Boulder resident
What to know: Obiri won silver medals in 5,000 meters at the Rio and Tokyo Olympics. She placed fourth in the 10,000 meters in Japan. She made her marathon debut in 2022 in New York. Since then, she’s won the 2023 Boston and New York marathons and the 2024 Boston Marathon.
Competing: Women’s marathon, Aug. 11
Maor Tiyouri (Israel)
Specialty: Marathon
Colorado connection: Boulder resident
What to know: Tiyouri is competing in her third Olympic games, having finished 90th in Rio and 48th in Tokyo.
Competing: Women’s marathon, Aug. 11
TRIATHLON
Kirsten Kasper
Colorado connection: Lives and trains in Boulder
What to know: Before she got into triathlon, Kaster was a Massachusetts state champion in swimming (four titles), cross country (three) and track and field (two), and a scoring member of Georgetown’s national championship cross country team. She is married to Canadian Olympic triathlete Matthew Sharpe.
Competing: Women’s individual triathlon, July 31
Results: Finished 49th in the women’s triathlon in 2:06:38.
Taylor Knibb
Colorado connection: Trains in Boulder
What to know: A rare dual-sport Olympian, Knibb also qualified for two cycling events but resigned her spot in the road race to focus on the time trial and triathlon. At 23, she became the youngest person to qualify for the U.S. Olympic triathlon team and left Tokyo with a silver medal in the mixed relay.
Competing: Women’s individual cycling time trial, July 27; women’s individual triathlon, July 31
Results: Finished 19th in the women’s triathlon (1:58:37) and 19th in the women’s individual time trial (43:03.46), but capped her Olympics by taking silver in the mixed relay.
Morgan Pearson
Colorado connection: Ran at CU, lives and trains in Boulder
What to know: In May, Pearson became the first American man to win the World Triathlon Series since 2009, securing a trip to his second Olympic Games. He won silver in Tokyo with the mixed relay team.
Competing: Men’s individual triathlon, July 30
Results: Finished 31st in the men’s triathlon (1:48:26) but claimed silver alongside Knibb in the mixed relay.
VOLLEYBALL
Jordyn Poulter
Colorado connection: Graduate of Eaglecrest High in Aurora
What to know: A member of the U.S.’s gold-medal team in Tokyo, Poulter suffered a devastating knee injury in December 2022. The last 18 months have been a race for the former University of Illinois All-American to recover in time for Paris. A bone bruise sustained in June — just days after the U.S. roster was announced — on that rebuilt knee has set her back, and earlier this month the American setter wasn’t taking reps in six-on-six practice.
Competing: vs. Brazil (semifinals), 8 a.m. Aug. 8; Medal matches, Aug. 10-11
Essential reading:
Haleigh Washington
Colorado connection: Graduate of Doherty High in Colorado Springs
What to know: A Penn State alum who now plays professional volleyball in Italy, Washington once set a Colorado state high school record with 48 kills in a single match. The middle blocker helped the U.S. win gold in Tokyo.
Competing: vs. Brazil (semifinals), 8 a.m. Aug. 8; Medal matches, Aug. 10-11
WRESTLING
Kyle Snyder
Specialty: Freestyle (97 kg)
Colorado connection: Graduate of Coronado High in Colorado Springs
What to know: In 2016, the Ohio State product won an individual NCAA national title, world championship and Olympic gold medal — all before his 21st birthday. Now 28, he’s added two more NCAA titles, a pair of world championships and a silver medal in Tokyo. A gold in Paris would make him the fourth American wrestler to win multiple golds.
Competing: Men’s freestyle 97 kg, Aug. 10-11
Essential reading:
Kamal Bey
Specialty: Greco-Roman (77 kg)
Colorado connection: Graduate of Pine Creek High in Colorado Springs
What to know: Part of the U.S. Army’s World Class Athlete Program, Bey is a culinary specialist based at Fort Carson.
Competing: Men’s Greco-Roman 77 kg, Aug. 6-7
Results: Eliminated in the 1/8 final with a 4-1 loss to Akzhol Makhmudov of Kyrgyzstani.
Essential reading:
