Mississippi town says there will be no parade for local Olympians

Mississippians quickly took to social media to call for a parade after Sam Kendricks and Shelby McEwen won silver medals at the Paris Olympics.

A former Ole Miss athlete, Kendricks earned a silver medal in the men’s pole vault final, clearing the bar at 5.95 meters. It is his second Olympic medal, earning a bronze medal in the 2016 games.

An Oxford High School graduate, McEwen won silver in the men’s high jump.

However, Visit Oxford confirmed that the city of Oxford and Lafayette County will not be hosting a parade due to the athletes’ busy post-season schedules. In a social media post, Visit Oxford stated, “While we would love to host a parade in honor of Sam and Shelby, their schedules don’t allow for it… Join us in congratulating them on their Olympic medals.”

Despite the lack of a parade, Oxford honored the athletes by displaying a congratulatory banner on the south side of the courthouse. Kendricks also held a celebration event at The Refuge, allowing locals to celebrate his achievement. The community continues to show support and pride for their Olympic heroes.