UC athletes make up 8 percent of the U.S. Olympic delegation
August 1, 2016 •
The road to Rio is paved with blue and gold.
A total of 102 athletes, coaches and staff from eight UC campuses will take part in the Summer Olympics, beginning Friday, Aug. 5 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
UC is sending so many athletes that they make up 8 percent of the U.S. delegation. In all, UC participants will represent 18 sports and 27 countries.
They range from five incoming freshmen to 41-year-old marathoner Meb Keflezighi of UCLA, who won silver at the 2004 Olympics and is trying to become the oldest-ever marathon medalist.
UC Berkeley swimmer Dana Vollmer, who survived heart surgery as a teen to win gold medals in the 2004 and 2012 Olympics, now hopes to become the first American mom to finish at the top of the podium in a swimming event.
Vollmer’s not the only one with a shot at gold. UC athletes earned 27 medals during the 2012 London Summer Olympics, including 17 gold medals – more gold medals than all but four nations.
This year looks equally promising, with athletes in gymnastics, soccer, swimming, track and field, volleyball, and water polo among medal favorites.
Read full article about the UC athletes going to the Olympics.
Link home page photo: UC Berkeley swimmer Dana Vollmer. Credit: Tim Binning/Cal Athletics
