Athletes to watch at the 2024 Paris Olympics with Tennessee ties

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — More than 10,000 athletes will compete across 32 sports at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics. Among the thousands competing for a medal, a few have ties to Tennessee.

The torch was officially lit Friday as part of the opening ceremony, marking an exciting start to an event that happens every four years.

Here are a few athletes to cheer for across the pond, representing Team USA and connected to the Volunteer State.

Alex and Gretchen Walsh

Sisters, Alex and Gretchen Walsh, are looking to make history at the pools in Paris. The Nashville-natives are both alumnae of Harpeth Hall, which is a private school for girls in Green Hills. This will be Alex’s second Olympic appearance as she previously competed in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and brought home a silver medal.

Meanwhile, Gretchen punched the ticket to attend her first Olympic games in record-breaking fashion. The 21-year-old broke the 100m butterfly world record with a time of 55.18 during the semifinals at the Olympic trials, according to the Olympics .

Walker Zimmerman

Nashville SC’s defender Walker Zimmerman has been selected to represent the United States as part of the Men’s Olympic Soccer Team. Zimmerman joined Nashville SC in 2020 following a trade with Los Angeles Football Club. The team said since his arrival to Music City , he has appeared in 117 regular season matches, scoring 13 goals and registering six assists.

Veronica Fraley

Vanderbilt University said track and field graduate student Veronica Fraley will make her Olympic debut in Paris after she placed third in the discus at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. However, this will be the fourth time she has worn red, white, and blue on an international stage, seeing as she was a member of Team USA for the 2022 and 2023 World Athletics Championships, as well as the 2023 Pan American Games.

In her final collegiate season, not only did Fraley become Vandy’s third-ever individual NCAA champion when she won the discus title in June, but she also earned a gold medal in the shot put and silver in the discus at the SEC Outdoor Championships, school officials said.

Lily Williams

Paris will mark the second Olympic Games for Lily Williams , who received her bachelor’s degree from Vanderbilt University in biology and English in 2016, followed by her master’s degree from Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism. According to officials, Williams was part of the squad that won the World Championship to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Games, where she and her teammates brought home a bronze medal, making her Vandy’s first female graduate to compete in the Olympics.

Vanderbilt said Williams was a member of the Commodores’ cross country and track and field teams before transitioning to cycling in 2016. She was a member of cross country squads that advanced to two NCAA Championships in 2013 and 2015. In addition, she was a two-time regional qualifier in the 1,500 meters on the track.

Wes Kitts

This Austin Peay State University graduate is set to make his second Olympics appearance for Team USA. Wes Kitts, who was formerly a running back for APSU’s football team and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in applied exercise science in 2013, will compete for a medal in weightlifting. He previously competed at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where he finished eighth after lifting 177 kilograms in the snatch and 213 kilograms in the clean and jerk, according to APSU.

Kitts recently spoke to News 2’s sister station, WATE , and told them that his wife and two sons would be joining him in Paris.

Dr. Lydia White

Even though she’s not competing in a sport, Dr. Lydia White packed her bags for Paris for an assignment of a lifetime. The Rutherford County doctor will be part of the United States medical team for the 2024 Olympics. Dr. White has degrees from the University of Tennessee, Vanderbilt and worked as an orthopedic physician at Tennessee Orhopadeic Alliance (TOA) in Murfreesboro.

News 2 recently spoke with Dr. White , who described the experience as “a dream come true.”

Brody Malone

Men’s gymnastics star Brody Malone, who was born in Johnson City, is looking to get some Olympic hardware in his second appearance. The 24-year-old participated in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and sustained a serious leg injury at a March 2023 competition. Despite the setback, Malone qualified for his second Olympics to be part of the men’s gymnastics team.

Rhyne Howard

Tennessee native Rhyne Howard will be part of the 12-woman roster for the women’s basketball Olympic team in Paris. The Bradley Central High School graduate is now a WNBA player for Atlanta Dream. She is the youngest player in WNBA history to score more than 30 points postseason, according to the association .

Olivia Reeves

Weightlifter and Hixson native Olivia Reeves is headed to the Olympics Games in Paris. According to Olympic officials , Reeves is “such a strong contender for the top of the podium at Paris 2024 that commentators have drawn comparison to Tara Nott-Cunningham, the last American female lifter to earn gold at Sydney 2000.”

Reeves is currently pursuing a bachelors degree at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga and has 15 American records to her name across several age groups, said USA Weightlifting .

Harrison Williams

Memphis native Harrison Williams is bound for Paris to compete in the men’s decathlon. The Memphian and Memphis University School graduate punched his ticket to 2024 Olympics with a third-place finish. Williams went on to attend Stanford University after graduating high school and has several championships to his name, according to USA Track & Field (USATF).

Christian Coleman

Christian Coleman, a standout sprinter at the University of Tennessee, is now on his way to the 2024 Paris Olympics. This will mark the former Vol’s, who is also considered the fastest man in NCAA history, second Olympic appearance, said Tennessee Track and Field . Coleman was selected on Team USA’s 4×100 relay pool.

Erika Connolly

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Connolly — a former Vol — is looking to bring home some more Olympic hardware. The University of Tennessee graduate is a two-time Olympic medalist, taking home a silver and bronze medal as a member of Team USA’s 400 medley and 400 free relay squads at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. This year, Connolly will be a member of Team USA’s 400 free relay squad.

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