Which current, former Hawkeyes will compete in 2024 Olympics in Paris

IOWA CITY — Some Hawkeyes will soon say bonjour to their first Olympic opportunities.

The 2024 Olympics — taking place in Paris from July 24 through Aug. 11, with the opening ceremony on July 26 — will feature at least eight current or former University of Iowa athletes.

Whether it be on Team USA or the national teams of other countries such as Canada, Spain or South Sudan, here is a list of the Hawkeyes who have qualified for the Olympics (so far):

Megan Gustafson

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Former Iowa women’s basketball great Megan Gustafson will be going to the Olympics as part of the Spanish national team. Gustafson attained a Spanish passport and will occupy the one roster spot allotted for a citizen via naturalization.

In Spain’s three qualifying games in February, Gustafson averaged 14.3 points per game while shooting 17-for-29 from the field and 4-for-10 from 3-point range.

Spencer Lee

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Iowa wrestling great Spencer Lee qualified for the Olympics after going 4-0 in this year’s World Olympic Games Qualifier in Istanbul, Turkey. He needed only 36 seconds to defeat Kazakstan’s Rakhat Kalzhan in his qualification match.

Lee was a three-time NCAA champion during his Hawkeye career, which spanned from 2017-23. He had a 58-match winning streak from 2019-23 — the seventh-longest winning streak in program history.

Brittany Brown

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Former Iowa sprinter Brittany Brown is the other Hawkeye expected to be donning red, white and blue in Paris. She qualified for a spot on Team USA with a second-place finish at last month’s Olympic Trials.

Brown, a Hawkeye from 2014-18, had an illustrious college career. She was an 11-time All-American and set the outdoor school records in the 100- and 200-meter races.

Aurelie Tran

Incoming Hawkeye gymnast Aurelie Tran qualified for the Olympics on Team Canada after a strong showing last month at the country’s gymnastics championships.

Tran, who hails from Repentigny, Quebec, placed second in the all-around, bars, beam and floor and finished fifth on vault.

Cassie Lee

Fellow incoming Hawkeye gymnast Cassie Lee also qualified for the Olympics as a member of Team Canada.

Lee, who placed fifth on beam and 11th in the all-around at last month’s national championships, also represented Team Canada at the 2023 Pan American Games and 2023 World Gymnastics Championships.

Tran and Lee are the first gymnasts to represent the Hawkeyes at the Olympics since Houry Gebeshian was on the Armenian national team during the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Peter Jok

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Former Iowa men’s basketball standout Peter Jok will compete for South Sudan this month in Paris.

The 6-foot-6 guard/forward has played professionally in Canada, Spain, France and the NBA’s G League since going undrafted in 2017.

Jok finished his Hawkeye career as the program’s all-time best free-throw shooter (88.1 percent, 310-for-354) and was an Associated Press All-America honorable mention as a senior in 2016-17.

Cloe Lacasse

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Iowa graduate Cloe Lacasse will be the first Iowa soccer alum to compete in the Olympics after making the Canadian women’s national team earlier this summer.

Lacasse was a two-time all-Big Ten first-team honoree while competing for the Hawkeyes from 2011-14 and now is playing professionally with Arsenal — the famous soccer club in London.

Canada won the gold medal in 2020 and is the only team to reach the podium in each of the last three Olympic Games.

Eve Stewart

Former Iowa rower Eve Stewart qualified this month for Great Britain’s national team this month. She will be the first Hawkeye rower to compete in the Olympics.

Stewart, who graduated in 2020, helped the Hawkeyes qualify for three consecutive NCAA Championships appearances during her Iowa career. She is competing for the British national team despite growing up in the Netherlands.

Comments: john.steppe@thegazette.com

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