Cavalier Corner is the publication just for UVa sports fans!
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1527011
12 CAVALIER CORNER BY MELISSA DUDEK G oing into the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics, Cava- lier fans felt something special was about to happen, but no one could have predicted just how special. Nineteen Cavaliers represented nine countries, winning 14 Olympic medals, including seven golds. Virginia's tally was the second highest among universities, trailing only Stanford. If UVA were a country, it would have finished 16th in the medal count behind Spain and ahead of Sweden and Kenya. If that weren't enough, another Cavalier won silver a few weeks later at the Paralympics. There were plenty of fun moments away from the competi- tion, such as Opening Ceremonies on the Seine, LeBron James selfies, meet-and-greets with Muppets, and Snoop Dogg supporting Emma Navarro at Roland-Garros with a "Let's Go Emma" shirt, to name a few. However, most of the focus was on the Games, so let's examine everything that our Cavaliers accom- plished in Paris. SWIMMING Eleven of UVA's medals were earned in the pool. UVA swim- mers won five golds, five silvers and a bronze. They set two world records, two American records and one Olympic record. Alum Kate Douglass '23 became the first-ever female Cavalier to win an individual gold medal when she touched the wall in the 200 breaststroke in an American-record time of 2:19.24. Douglass added three more medals in the games, taking an individual sil- ver in the 200 individual medley and winning two relay medals. Fourth-year swimmer Gretchen Walsh also won an individual medal, taking silver in the 100 butterfly. Walsh set an Olympic record in the event in the semifinals, posting a time of 55.38. Walsh won three more medals in relays, including a pair of golds. Walsh's first relay gold came in the mixed 4x100 medley relay, which she and her teammates finished in a world- record time. In the final event of the swimming competition, three Cavaliers won gold medals in the 4x100 medley relay. Douglass and third-year Emma Weber swam the prelims, while Walsh swam in the final. The U.S. squad posted a world-record time of 3:49.63 in the final. The 4x100 medley relay also helped Team USA top the gold medal table in the swimming competition. The United States entered the day trailing Australia 7-6 in the gold medal tally, but a men's win in the 1500 free tied the two nations at seven, with the 4x100 medley relay gold pushing the U.S. ahead. The United States topped the overall swimming medal count with 28 to Australia's 18. Vir- ginia head coach Todd DeSorbo was Team USA's head coach, his first time serving in that capacity at the Olympics after being an assistant coach in Tokyo. Walsh and Douglass also won silver in the 4x100 free relay, swimming in the finals to help set an American record. Alum Paige Madden '21 won two medals: individual bronze in the 800 freestyle and relay silver in the 4x200. "It's honestly so special to be here, especially with my UVA family," Madden said. "So many of them were in the crowd, which was so cool. Just seeing them cry after all of the races, and we had so many races! And so much support. So I'm really thankful." Grad student Alex Walsh competed in the 200 individual medley, making the finals, to round out the Team USA representatives. Third-year Aimee Canny competed for South Africa, advancing to the semifinals of the 200 freestyle. Weber competed as an individual in the 100 breaststroke in addition to her medley relay per- formance. WOMEN'S SOCCER Emily Sonnett '15 helped lead Team USA to a gold medal. The American squad defeated Brazil 1-0 in the final for the second Olympic medal of Son- nett's career, bettering the bronze she won in Tokyo. Sonnett played in every game in Paris, and started the quarterfinal and semifinal games. GOLD RUSH GOLD RUSH UVA Athletics Was Well Represented And Highly Decorated At The Paris Olympics UVA swimmers won five golds (including the one Emma Weber earned by being part of the United States' 4x100 medley relay), five silvers and a bronze. (Photo by Wilbur DeLashmet/courtesy UVA)