Stanford University in the US Produces 12 Gold Medalists in Paris
Surpasses Netherlands and Germany in Total Medal Count Rankings
As the 2024 Paris Olympics concluded, it has been confirmed that a remarkable 39 medalists emerged from the prestigious Stanford University in the United States, drawing significant attention. This number surpasses the total medals won by South Korea in this Olympics, ranking Stanford 8th in the world by total medal count.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 12th (local time) that after reviewing the backgrounds of the national athletes who received over 2,000 medals at the Paris Olympics, Stanford-affiliated national athletes secured 39 medals. This exceeds the total medal counts of the Netherlands (34 medals, ranked 8th), Germany (33 medals, ranked 9th), and South Korea (32 medals, ranked 10th) in this year’s Olympic medal standings.
2024 Paris Olympics Women's 4x100m Freestyle Relay Gold Medalists, U.S. National Team Members Torri Huske (fourth from left) and Regan Smith (far left) [Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]
WSJ noted that when comparing the number of medals won by Stanford alumni national athletes alongside the total medal rankings by country, "Stanford ranked 11th in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and 10th in the 2016 Rio Olympics," adding, "This time, they achieved beyond expectations and were able to place 8th."
The total number of medals awarded at this Olympics exceeded 2,000. Although medals were awarded in 1,044 events, this figure accounts for team events. WSJ explained that over 400 medalists represented more than 100 universities.
At this Olympics, there were 59 Stanford-affiliated national athletes from 14 countries, including 20 men and 39 women. Fourteen of these athletes were current students. Among the medals they won, 12 were gold, 14 silver, and 13 bronze.
Notable Stanford gold medalists include Tory Huskey and Regan Smith, members of the women's 4x100m freestyle relay team. Huskey, a U.S. women’s swimming national team member, won gold in the 100m butterfly and silver in the 100m freestyle at this Olympics. She also secured a silver medal in the 4x100m medley relay at the Tokyo Olympics. Another Stanford alumna and U.S. women’s swimming national team member, Katie Ledecky, earned a bronze in the 400m freestyle and gold in the 1500m freestyle this time.
Beyond swimming, the U.S. women’s soccer team won gold by defeating Brazil for the first time in 12 years, with medalists including Sophia Smith, Naomi Girma, and Tierna Davidson. Gold medalists also came from various other sports, such as Valarie Allman (women’s discus throw) from the U.S. track and field team and Vivian Kong (women’s ?p?e) from Hong Kong’s fencing team.
In addition to Stanford, other prestigious universities such as Harvard University, Cambridge University, and UCLA also had national athletes who excelled at this Olympics. Harvard, in particular, secured 13 medals this year. Notable Harvard alumni include U.S. national track athlete Gabrielle Thomas, who won gold in the women’s 200m, and U.S. cyclist Kristen Faulkner. Faulkner, who worked as a venture capitalist on Wall Street after graduating from Harvard, won gold in the women’s road cycling race with a time of 3 hours 59 minutes and 23 seconds.
The Wall Street Journal also highlighted Davidson College, alma mater of Stephen Curry, a guard for the U.S. basketball team who won gold this time, noting that Davidson produced two medalists and attracted attention.
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