For the first time ever, the Oregon Ducks had a man and woman represented on the podium at the Olympics in the 1,500 meters.
Former Duck Matthew Centrowitz became the first American man to win gold in the men’s 1,500 since 1908 with his victory during the 2016 Olympics in Rio. Less than a decade later, Cole Hocker repeated the feat in upset fashion at the Stade de France in the 2024 Paris Olympics in 3 minutes, 27.65 seconds — an Olympic record.
In fifth with a lap to go, Hocker moved into third with about 200 meters left, and outkicked favorites Josh Kerr of Great Britain and Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway down the final 100 to win his first Olympic gold medal.
“I’m definitely still searching for the words to describe that moment,” Hocker said. “Every part of me knew that this was the Olympic final. I felt the moment, I felt the magnitude of it. It was incredible. I knew what I had left and I kind of knew I’m going to get a medal … with 20 meters to go I knew I had gold.”
While there was some history of success on the men’s side of the 1,500 for former Ducks, history was made shortly after in the women’s 1,500.
Kenyan Faith Kipyegon won her third gold medal in a row, but Jessica Hull became the first Australian and Duck woman to medal in the event by finishing second in 3:52.56.
“It’s been a dream season,” Hull said. “I couldn’t have imagined it could go so well.”
The Olympics wasn’t the first time Hull tried to chase Kipyegon down the homestretch this season.
On July 7 during a pre-Olympics meet in Paris, Hull ran 3:50.83 to become the fifth-fastest performer of all time at that distance while also resetting her own Australian record.
Just ahead of her in that race: Kipyegon, who also reset her own world record in 3:49.04.
Hull finished 11th at the Tokyo Games and seventh during the World Athletic Championships in both 2022 and 2023.
Sabrina Ionescu helps Team USA win unprecedented eighth gold medal in a row
Winning her first gold medal while helping Team USA to a record eight gold medals in a row, Sabrina Ionescu came off the bench to help guide the U.S. to a 67-66 win over host nation France in the women’s basketball gold medal game Sunday to close the Paris Olympics.
The win was the United States’ 61st in a row, an unprecedented run of success in international basketball. The New York Liberty star and former Duck standout averaged 5.5 points per game while dishing out 3.3 assists per contest in about 13 minutes per game for the stacked U.S. team.
Oregon’s most accomplished women’s basketball player added a gold medal to her growing collection of awards and accolades after winning AP Player of the Year, the Naismith College Player of the Year, USBWA National Player of the Year and John R. Wooden Award as a Duck.
Ionescu’s best moment came in the group stage when she hit a crowd-silencing long ball to secure Team USA’s 87-74 win over Belgium, before holding a finger to her lips to quiet the crowd.
Elsewhere in hoops, current Duck Elisa Mevius helped the Germans win the 3×3 tournament gold medal, dropping just one game in group play before beating Spain in the final, 17-16.
Mevius averaged 3.6 points per game during the Germans nine-game run, while adding 11 total assists.
After stumble, Jade Carey finds redemption, 2 medals in gymnastics
After stumbling during her floor routine, ending any hope of repeating as an Olympic champion in that event, Oregon State gymnast Jade Carey locked in and helped the U.S. claim a team gold medal at the Paris Olympics.
Carey scored a 14.800 on the vault, second on the U.S. team behind Simone Biles’ 14.900.
After winning gold on the floor during the Tokyo Games, it was Carey’s second gold medal.
The Beaver later won a third career medal at the Olympics, taking bronze in the individual vault with an average 14.466 score. Biles took the gold in that event.
“It was truly one of the best experiences of my life and something I’ve always wanted,” Carey said following the games.
Ryan Crouser does what Ryan Crouser does, brings home third gold medal in shot put
The Boring native — already considered the greatest shot putter to ever live — cemented his place in Olympic history with an unprecedented third-straight Summer Games gold medal in the men’s shot put.
Crouser’s winning mark of 75 feet, 1¼ inches was more than two feet better than silver medalist Joe Kovacs of the U.S. and bronze medalist Rajindra Campbell of Jamaica, who each threw 72-8.
“Throwing a 16-pound ball as far as you can for a living beats you up,” Crouser said. “Three golds are a testament to that. It’s a combination of things, the sacrifice and dedication.”
Oregon senior and Medford native Jaida Ross finished fourth in the women’s shot put, finishing just 1½ inches shy of a medal with a best toss of 63-3¼.
For the full list of athletes with Oregon ties competing in the Olympics and how they fared, go here.
Alec Dietz covers University of Oregon football, volleyball, women’s basketball and baseball for The Register-Guard. You may reach him at adietz@registerguard.com and you can follow him on X @AlecDietz.
This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Cole Hocker, Sabrina Ionescu, Ryan Crouser earn Olympic gold
