BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – As the world celebrates at the Paris 2024 Closing Ceremony, let’s look at what Indiana University’s 20 athletes and coaches accomplished at the Summer Games.
Indiana has tied its second-largest group of Olympians all-time, having produced 20 Olympians in 1976 and a record 23 in 1968. Hoosiers represented nine different countries, marking a school record.
IU totaled three medals – one gold, two silver – in Paris, all coming in the pool for Team USA. Hoosiers delivered seven top five and 17 top-10 performances at the games.
Eight athletes made Olympic debuts in Paris, and seven of those will return to Bloomington to compete collegiately for IU while also seeking qualification for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
In what she has called her final Summer Games, Lilly King helped author one of Team USA’s most memorable moments of the 2024 Olympics. The three-time Olympian swam the breaststroke leg of the women’s 4×100-meter medley relay that won gold and set a world record in 3:49.63. With the victory, the Americans topped the gold medal leaderboard in swimming earning eight over Australia’s seven.
King finishes her Olympic career a six-time medalist and three-time gold medalist and has won a medal at all three Summer Games she has competed in.
Blake Pieroni and Anna Peplowski each helped Team USA secure silver medals in the men’s and women’s 4×200-meter freestyle, respectively, both swimming in prelim heats. In addition, Matt King – transferring into the IU swimming and diving program this fall – won a medal for his preliminary performance in the men’s 4×100-meter freestyle relay. Fellow transfer Zalán Sárkány placed 11th in the 1,500-meter free, and 14th in both the 800-meter and 400-meter freestyle events.
First-time Olympian Carson Tyler highlighted IU’s diving performances, just missing out on the podium in the springboard event with a fourth-place finish. Tyler made history this summer as the first American to compete in both individual diving events at an Olympics since 2000. In her third Olympics, Jessica Parratto finished sixth in the women’s synchronized 10-meter competition, and two-time Olympian Andrew Capobianco finished 15th on the springboard.
Mariah Denigan made history participating in the open water swimming event, held in the River Seine. Denigan is Indiana’s first athlete to compete in open water swimming at an Olympics and one of four Americans ever. She placed 16th.
Team Canada finished eighth in Paris with the help of Jessica Gaudreault and Shae La Roche, both participating in their second Summer Games.
Rikkoi Brathwaite represented IU track and field and the British Virgin Islands in Paris. Brathwaite advanced from the 100-meter prelims on his way to a 23rd-place finish in the semifinal.
Olympic History
Few universities, or even nations, can match Indiana University’s Olympic record. Indiana boasts 261 total Olympic berths, representing 30 countries. On 21 occasions, Olympic coaches have come from Indiana.
The Indiana University athlete medal count is at 124 including 61 gold, 25 silver and 38 bronze after the 2020 Tokyo Games. The Hoosiers have earned a medal at every Olympic Games they have competed in except 2004. IU’s most productive year was 1968, with 17 medals for IU competitors in Mexico City.
