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  • Axios Nashville

    Led by Walsh sisters, Paris Olympics has Nashville flavor

    By Adam TamburinNate Rau,

    1 day ago

    Grab a to-go order from your favorite hot chicken place and put a Jason Isbell record on the turntable, because we're giving you a Nashville spin on how to watch the Paris Olympics .

    The big picture: Two of the top swimmers in the world call Nashville their hometown: sisters Gretchen and Alex Walsh.


    Zoom in: The Walsh sisters went to high school at Harpeth Hall, which has a proud tradition of sending athletes to the Olympics.

    • Harpeth Hall alums Margaret Groos Sloan, Tracy Caulkins Stockwell and Linden Wiesman Ryan previously competed in the Olympics.
    • Alex Walsh will compete in the 200-meter individual medley. She won the silver medal in the event in the Tokyo Olympics.
    • Gretchen Walsh has a busy Olympic schedule with a chance to make swimming history. She's competing in the 50-meter freestyle, 100-meter freestyle, the 100-meter butterfly and the 4X100-meter freestyle relay. Walsh is the current world-record holder in the 100-meter butterfly and is among the favorites for the gold in Paris.

    What she's saying: "Making the team was the biggest goal, but getting a world record was absolute insanity," Gretchen said after setting the record at the Olympic trials. "I couldn't ask for a better first event of the meet."

    Zoom out: The Walsh sisters aren't the only Olympians with Nashville ties. Nashville SC star Walker Zimmerman earned a spot on the U.S. soccer team.

    Yes, but: In addition to rooting for the Nashvillians at the Olympics, the state of Tennessee will also be well-represented.

    • Rhyne Howard (Cleveland) is on the women's 3x3 basketball squad. Howard is a member of the WNBA's Atlanta Dream.
    • Wes Kitts (Knoxville) and Olivia Reeves (Hixson) will compete in weightlifting.
    • Seth Rider (Germantown) qualified in the triathlon, and Harrison Williams (Memphis) competes in the decathlon for the U.S. track and field team.
    • Two-time Paralympic medalist Blake Leeper (Kingsport) will compete in track and field.
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