Baylor’s history of Olympic excellence to continue in Tokyo – Baylor University

A school-record six former Baylor student-athletes are in Tokyo for the 2020 Summer Olympics, as they begin this week (one year late due to the COVID-19 pandemic).

Trayvon Bromell (BSED 18, track & field), Brittney Griner (BSED 19, basketball) and John Peers (tennis) are each on Olympic rosters for the second time, while more recent Baylor track stars KC Lightfoot and Wil London (BSED 19) and former basketball all-American Ekpe Udoh (BSED 11) have made it to the Olympics for the first time. Theyre the latest in a long line of Baylor athletes who have represented the green and gold on the world stage, symbolically receiving the torch from Baylor Olympians who came before them, dating as far back as 1904 (the third modern Olympics).

Most fans are aware of the accomplishments of iconic sprinter Michael Johnson (BBA 91), whose four gold medals earned him a spot among historys all-time greats, and more recent stars like three-time gold medalist Jeremy Wariner. But did you know that legendary Baylor track and field coach Clyde Hart (BBA 56) coached athletes who won gold medals in six straight Olympics? Or that Baylors first-ever gold medal was won by basketball player Jack Robinson (BA 49) in 1948?

The following Bears have represented Baylor in the Olympics over the last century-plus, winning 11 Olympic gold medals:

1904 ST. LOUIS GAMES* C.M. King, track and field standing broad jump (silver)* King, track and field standing triple jump (silver)

1948 LONDON GAMES* Jack Robinson, basketball (gold)

1992 BARCELONA GAMES* Michael Johnson, track and field 200 m*Johnson, track and field 4 x 400 m relay (gold)

1996 ATLANTA GAMES* Johnson, track and field 200 m (gold)* Johnson, track and field 4 x 400 m relay (gold)

2000 SYDNEY GAMES* Johnson, track and field 400 m (gold)* Johnson, track and field 4 x 400 m relay*Barbara Petrahn, BBA 03, track and field 400 m (Hungary)

2004 ATHENS GAMES* Bayano Kamani, BBA 02, track and field 400 m (Panama)* Zsolt Szeglet, BSCS 04, MBA 06, track and field 400 m (Hungary)* Jared Theodorakos, BSED 04, baseball (Greece)* Jeremy Wariner, track and field 400 m(gold)* Wariner, track and field 4 x 400 m relay (gold)* Darold Williamson, BSED 11, track and field 4 x 400 m relay (gold)

2008 BEIJING GAMES* Kamani, track and field 400 m (Panama)* Petrahn, track and field 400 m (Hungary)* Wariner, track and field 4 x 400 m relay (gold)* Wariner, track and field 400 m (silver)* Reggie Witherspoon, BA 14, track and field 4 x 400 m relay (gold)

2012 LONDON GAMES* Wariner, track and field 4 x 400 m relay (qualified, but missed games due to injury)

2016 RIO GAMES* Trayvon Bromell, track and field 100 m* Bromell, track and field 4 x 100 m relay* Brittney Griner, basketball (gold)* John Peers, mens tennis doubles (Australia)* Leticia De Souza^, track and field 4 x 400 m relay (Brazil)

2020* TOKYO GAMES* Bromell, track & field 100 m* Griner, basketball* KC Lightfoot, track & field pole vault* Wil London, track & field 4 x 400 m relay* Peers, mens tennis doubles (Australia)* Ekpe Udoh, basketball (Nigeria)

The Baylor family can follow Bromell, Griner, Lightfoot, London, Peers and Udoh in their pursuit of the gold beginning with Friday nights Opening Ceremonies and continuing over the next two weeks.

Sic em, Baylor Olympians!

[^ De Souza competed in the 2016 Olympics shortly before she enrolled at Baylor.][* Held in 2021 due to 2020s COVID-19 pandemic]

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Baylor's history of Olympic excellence to continue in Tokyo - Baylor University