All eyes turn to Paris as the pinnacle of sport, the Olympic Games, is just weeks away.
The culmination of years of dedication to one’s sport, thousands of practice reps and many dreams come true, and broken, the Olympic Games bring the best athletes in the world together in competition for the ultimate prize.
A gold medal.
With thousands of athletes across 32 sports descending on the French capital thousands of miles away from Tallahassee, Florida State will be sending 16 current and former athletes to compete in the 2024 Olympic Games.
According to FSU, 30 athletes with ties to the program have made the Olympics, representing 23 different countries since 1972. The Seminoles have been represented at every Games since 1996 and also contributed athletes in 1972, 1976, 1980 and 1988.
As the countdown to Paris nears its highly anticipated conclusion, here is a look at the Seminoles representing their countries at the 2024 Olympic Games.
How to watch the 2024 Paris Olympics
NBC and Telemundo will broadcast the Olympic games in the United States.
The Paris 2024 Olympics begin on Wednesday, July 24. The first two events of the Games are men’s soccer and rugby sevens.
The official start of the Olympic Games begins with the Opening Ceremony in Paris, from 1:30 to 5:15 p.m. ET on Friday, July 26.
One of two Team USA women’s soccer representatives, former Seminoles defender Jenna Nighswonger will join new United States Women’s National Team manager Emma Hayes in Paris for her first Olympics. During her time as at FSU, Nighswonger was a multi-time All-American and won a national title in 2021. Now a member of NJ/NY Gotham FC in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), Nighswoneger was named the league’s Rookie of the Year in 2023 and she helped the club win it’s first league title.
Team USA Women’s Soccer: Casey Krueger (Class of 2012)
The second former Seminole to make the Team USA women’s soccer Olympic roster is Casey Krueger, formerly Casey Short during her time with FSU. The defender is set to represent the USA at the Olympics for the second time in her career, winning a bronze medal at the 2020 Tokoyo Olympics. An All-American at FSU, Krueger now plays for the Washington Spirit in the NWSL after spending eight years with the Chicago Red Stars. She was the fifth overall pick in the 2013 NWSL draft but did not make her professional debut until 2015 due to two season-ending injuries.
Team Canada Women’s Soccer: Gabby Carle (Class of 2021)
The third former Seminoles soccer star to make an Olympic team, Canada’s Gabby Carle is heading to Paris to compete in her second Olympic Games after winning gold with Canada at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. A 2021 National champion during her time with FSU, Carle was an All-Conferenece selection in her 2021 senior season. She is currently teammates with Casey Krueger on the NWSL’s Washington Spirit.
Team Nigeria Women’s Soccer: Onyi Echegini (Class of 2023)
One of the best players to come through the Seminoles soccer program in recent season, Onyi Echegini is heading to Paris to represent Team Nigeria. The former FSU midfielder was a superstar in her two seasons in Tallahassee, scoring 27 and assisting 11, winning a national title in 2023 and earning All-American honors and winning the coveted Mac Herman trophy, awarded to the best player in the country. Echegini turned pro after the 2023 season and currently plays for Italian giants Juventus, where she has scored 10 goals in 14 games.
Team Chile Men’s Golf: Cristobal Del Solar (Class of 2017)
Former FSU golf star Cristobal Del Solar is heading to Paris to represent Chile’s golf team. A five-year member of the Seminoles golf team, Del Solar won one tournament and posted a scoring average of 72.10 over his 39 tournament appearances as a Seminole. Del Solar has played on different professional golf tours, including the PGA Tour. He currently plays on the PGA’s Korn Ferry Tour and in February he posted a PGA Tour record low round of 57 at the Astara Golf Championship, finishing 5th overall in the tournament.
Team Switzerland Women’s Golf: Morgane Metraux (Class of 2018)
A second golfer heading to the French Captial, Team Switzerland golfer Morgane Metraux is set for her first Olympic Games. Metraux was a multi-time All-American at FSU, winning three tournaments and holding a 73.18 scoring average over her 40 tournaments. She currently plays on both the LPGA and Ladies European Tour, winning three professional tournaments across both tours. This will be her first time playing at the Olympics.
Team South Africa Men’s Track and Field: Adriaan Wildschutt (Class of 2022)
The only men’s track representative comes from South Africa’s Adriaan Wildschutt, an All-American distance runner for FSU during his time with the program. Wildschutt will in both the 5,000-meter and 10,000-meter races for South Africa as he seeks to be the country’s first distance medalist since 1996. During his time with FSU, Wildschutt was a star both on the track and on the Cross Country course. He was the ACC Runner of the Year in 2021 and currently holds the records for the fastest time in South African history for the 3,000, 5,000 and 10,000-meter races. This will be his first Olympic Games.
Team USA Track and Field: Jeremiah Davis (Class of 2025)
The only men’s field representative comes from current Seminole star jumper Jeremiah Davis, who won gold at the US Olympic Trials to help claim his spot in Paris. While Davis took gold, he had to wait to officially see if he made Team USA, which he did. He will compete in the men’s long jump at the Olympic Games. A 2024 All-American, Davis has established himself as one of the top jumpers in the nation, and now he can challenge himself on the world stage.
Team Jamaica Women’s Track and Field: Kimberly Williams (Class of 2011)
The multi-time Olympian Kimberly Williams returns to Team Jamaica’s track and field team for the 2024 Paris Olympics. This is Williams’s fourth Olympic Games, with her first coming during the 2012 London Olympics. The field superstar and FSU Hall of Famer, Williams won two national titles, one in the long jump and one in the triple jump, during her time with the Seminoles. She was an All-American every season with FSU. She is a two-time gold medalist in the triple-jump at the Commonwealth Games and will compete in the triple jump for Jamaica during the 2024 Olympic games.
Team Ireland Swim and Dive: Max McCusker (Class of 2022)
The first of a record-tying seven swimmers and divers to make it to Paris, Team Ireland swimmer Max McCusker makes his Olympic debut in the French Captial. An eight-time All-American with the Seminoles, McCusker holds the Irish record in the 100-meter butterfly and he will compete in the 4×100 medley relay for Ireland during the Paris Olympics.
Team Honduras Swim and Dive: Julio Horrego (Class of 2019)
Heading to his second Olympic Games, Honduras swimmer Julio Horrego is set to compete in the 200-meter breaststroke for his country at the Paris Olympics. Competing at the 2020 Toyko Olympics, Horrego was the flag bearer for Honduras during those games. He holds the 10th fastest time in FSU history in the 200-meter breaststroke.
Team Germany Swim and Dive: Peter Varjasi (Class of 2024)
Competing in his first Olympic Games following his senior season with FSU, Germany’s Peter Varjasi heads to Paris to compete in the 4×100 free relay for his country. Varjasi earned 14 All-American honors during his time at FSU and holds a number of program records. Varjasi is the first FSU swimmer to represent Germany at the Olympic Games.
Team US Virgin Island Swim and Dive: Max Wilson (Class of 2026)
One of the few current Seminoles to make an Olympic roster, Max Wilson heads to Paris with the US Virgin Island swim and dive team. This will be his first Olympics and he holds the national records for both the 50-meter backstroke and 100-meter backstroke, swimming his record times during Olympic qualifying.
Team Finland Swim and Dive: Ida Hulkko (Class of 2019)
For the second time in her career, Finland’s Ida Hulkko will suit up for the Olympic Games, this time heading to Paris. Hulkko spent one season with FSU before turning professional. In her lone year as a Seminole, she was an All-American in the 100-meter breaststroke. Hulkko made the semifinals in the 100-meter breaststroke in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and she now will compete in the same event in Paris.
Team Uganda Swim and Dive: Gloria Muzito (Class of 2025)
A current FSU swimmer, Gloria Muzito heads to Paris to represent the Uganda swim and dive team. The rising senior will be competing in her first Olympic games, swimming in the 100-meter freestyle for Uganda. Muzito has been one of the Seminole’s top swimmers during her time with the program and she now hopes to take that consistency with her to Paris.
Team France Swim and Dive: Emma Terebo (Class of 2021)
Former FSU swimmer Emma Terebo will be representing the host nation France at the Paris Olympics, competing in the 100 and 200-meter backstroke. Her 100-meter qualifying time of 58.79 is the ninth fastest time in the world and it helped secure her spot on the Olympic roster. The four-year swimmer at FSU has been swimming professionally since leaving the program and now she gets to swim in her first Olympic Games.
Liam Rooney covers preps sports for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at LRooney@gannett.com or on Twitter @__liamrooney
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Olympics 2024: Florida State athletes, alumni competing in Paris
