Connecticut athletes rowing toward Olympic glory in Paris

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Connecticut athletes are making their mark at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, with several making strides toward medal contention. Westport's Oliver Bub is one step closer to Olympic glory after he and teammate Billy Bender, a fellow New Englander, secured a spot in the men's rowing pair semifinals. The duo finished third in their heat, behind crews from Switzerland and Italy. They will compete for a spot in the final on Saturday. Two other rowers with Connecticut ties also took to the water outside Paris. Yale graduate Nick Rusher is a member of the men's eight crew, which dominated its heat with the fastest overall time, qualifying for the final on Saturday. Additionally, the USA women's eight crew features another Yale graduate, Margaret Hedeman. Hedeman, a first-team All-Ivy selection in 2023 while at Yale, helped the team to a second-place finish in its heat. Meanwhile, Greenwich native Beth Yeager, a Sacred Heart Greenwich graduate, took the field for the USA field hockey team, which ended its match against Spain in a tie. Yeager registered two shots on goal, but both were blocked. Team USA will face Australia on Friday. "