Tag: 2024 olympics

Best photos of Aaron Brooks at the U.S. wrestling Olympic trials

Check out some of the best photos of Aaron Brooks winning his spot on the U.S. national wrestling team heading to the Olympics this summer.

It was a monumental weekend in Happy Valley for Penn State wrestling star [autotag]Aaron Brooks[/autotag]. Brooks scored one of the most surprising upsets of the weekend’s U.S. national wrestling trials to earn a spot on the national team heading to the Paris 2024 Olympics this summer when he topped fellow former Nittany Lion, and defending gold medalist, [autotag]David Taylor[/autotag] on the mat in a best-of-three series.

Brooks is coming off a fourth consecutive NCAA title and will now have a shot at Olympic gold. Taylor will still be on the U.S. National Team as the trials runner-up, but his path to defending his gold is trickier than most anticipated.

Here are some of the best photos from Brooks’ run to the U.S. trials victory this weekend in the Bryce Jordan Center. Next stop, Paris!

Penn State wrestling alums to represent Team USA at Paris 2024 Summer Olympics

It should be no surprise that the U.S. national wrestling team heading to the Olympics this summer will have these former Nittany Lions leading the way.

Penn State wrestling will be well-represented at this summer’s Olympic games in Paris, France. On Saturday, the United States wrestling team trials were held in the Bryce Jordan Center in University Park, home to Penn State’s dominant national championship wrestling program, and some familiar faces battled on the mat for spots in the Olympics.

The biggest storyline was [autotag]Aaron Brooks[/autotag] pulling an upset of Olympic gold medalist [autotag]David Taylor[/autotag] in a battle of former Nittany Lion standouts in the 84 kg trials.

While Brooks cemented his spot on the roster, Taylor will also be on the U.S. National Team as well as the trials runner-up.

Taylor and Brooks will be joined in Paris by some fellow Penn State products. [autotag]Kyle Dake[/autotag] (74 kg) came out on top of former Nittany Lion [autotag]Jason Nolf[/autotag] for a spot on the team, but Nolf will also be on the Team USA roster after finishing in second place.

A fifth member of the Penn State wrestling family will be making plans to head to Paris as well. [autotag]Kyle Snyder[/autotag] (97 kg) picked up a win in his trials over Isaac Trumble to secure a spot on the U.S. national team.

A handful of others from the Penn State family kept their Olympic dreams alive as well. [autotag]Zain Retherford[/autotag] (65 kg) will have a chance to qualify for the Paris Games in May. [autotag]Nick Lee[/autotag], who lost to Retherford, earned a spot on the U.S. team thanks to his second-place finish. [autotag]Mitchell Mesenbrink[/autotag] (74 kg) took third place in the trials and earned a spot on the U.S. national team.

The Paris 2024 Olympics are set to begin on July 26 in Paris, France. Wrestling events will begin on August 5 and run through August 11. The world is about to get a dose of Penn State wrestling up close and personal.

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Joel Embiid has a heartwarming reason why he chose to play for Team USA in the Olympics

The 2023 NBA MVP could have also played for France or Cameroon in the Olympics.

Philadelphia 76ers superstar Joel Embiid will officially represent Team USA during the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

Embiid had the unique option to represent the United States, France, or Cameroon (though they have not yet qualified). Even though France is the host nation and he is originally from Cameroon, the 2023 NBA MVP will headline a strong roster for Team USA.

The big man said that he had a simple reason why he chose to accept the offer from United States men’s basketball managing director Grant Hill and play for head coach Steve Kerr on Team USA.

According to Embiid, he made the decision for his son, Arthur.

Embiid said the following last year (via Associated Press):

“I’ve been here for such a long time,” Embiid said in Fort Collins, Colorado, where the 76ers are having training camp — and where Embiid met with Hill this week. “For the past few years, every decision I’ve made has been based on just family. My family, my son, and having the chance to represent a country like the U.S., with my son being born here … I love my home country, but I really wanted to play in the Olympics.”

That is a great reason for his decision! When he officially received his jersey, Arthur was there with him to celebrate.

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Jimmer Fredette and his iconic 3-point range is going to the 2024 Olympics for Team USA

Yes. That IS Jimmer Fredette you’re seeing.

Jimmer Fredette is still a hooper at heart, and he’s taking his skills to Paris. Fredette, along with four other players, was named to the men’s 3×3 National Team.

Earlier this year, when Jimmer Fredette popped up trading buckets with Caitlin Clark on Sue Bird’s Sue’s Places, you may have wondered: what has Jimmer been up to? Since his time in the NBA, he’s played overseas and even won a silver medal at the 2023 FIBA World Cup. Fredette is now back with the same team he played with during the FIBA World Cup to conquer the Paris Olympics with the men’s 3×3 basketball team.

Fredette, Canyon Barry, the son of Basketball Hall of Famer Rick Barry, Kareem Maddox, and Dylan Travis will take their talents to Paris in July. This will be the first time that the 3×3 team will make the Olympic program, as the U.S. men didn’t qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

In case you’re unfamiliar with how 3×3 basketball works, here’s a quick summary. Per the official Olympic site, 3×3 basketball is played on half a basketball court with two competing teams. Each team has three players who will play on the same hoop.

The goal is to achieve the highest score at the end of a 10-minute period or be the first team to score 21 points. The typical 3-point line that players use in other forms of basketball is instead a two-point line, and any shot made inside the arc will be considered one point.

Inbee Park won’t play on LPGA in 2024 as her focus turns to Olympic elections

Park last teed it up on the LPGA in August of 2022 at the AIG Women’s British Open.

As the LPGA returns to action this week in Thailand, one past champion is notably absent. Inbee Park, who last teed it up on the LPGA in August of 2022 at the AIG Women’s British Open, has no plans to compete this year either, according to her manager.

Park, 35, gave birth to her first child, daughter Inseo, in April 2023.

The 21-time winner was announced as one of 32 candidates for the IOC’s Athlete’s Commission. Park, of course, won gold at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. She plans to focus on promoting herself for the upcoming elections in the coming months.

Olympic athletes will be eligible to vote in the Olympic Village in Paris this summer. Four athletes from four different sports will be elected by their peers. Should Park be successful, she will serve an eight-year term.

Park won the 2013 Honda LPGA Thailand, kicking off a season in which she won three majors. The seven-time major winner qualified for the LPGA Hall of Fame in 2016.

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Women’s basketball coach Kara Lawson announced as assistant for U.S. Olympic team

Duke women’s basketball coach Kara Lawson, who won a gold medal with the U.S. women’s Olympic basketball team in 2008, will serve on the 2024 coaching staff in Paris.

Duke women’s basketball coach Kara Lawson will be in Paris for the 2024 Olympics.

The Blue Devils announced on Tuesday that their fourth-year coach was invited to be an assistant coach on the 2024 United States women’s Olympic basketball team.

“When I was a kid, my first athletic goal was to represent the U.S. in the Olympics,” Lawson said in a release from the team. “What an honor to be named to the staff for the Paris Olympics and to help the National Team chase another gold medal.”

Duke won 17 games in Lawson’s first full season, 2021-22, and improved to 26-7 last season. The Blue Devils are currently 16-7 this season and 8-4 in conference play.

Lawson helped the U.S. win a gold medal in women’s basketball during the 2008 Olympics held in Beijing. She led her nation’s team with 15 points in the gold medal game, a 92-65 victory over Australia.

The former guard also played for 13 seasons in the WNBA, winning a championship with the Sacramento Monarchs in 2005. She averaged a career-high 15.1 points in 2012 while playing for the Connecticut Sun.

J. Lindeberg to be official clothing partner of USA men and women at Summer Games

The collection is set to be available in early June.

J. Lindeberg has announced that they will be the official clothing partner of the Summer Games in Paris 2024 and Los Angeles 2028.

This comes as a great honor, and the brand released its exclusive USA Golf Collection to accompany the news. The collection combines performance, innovative technology and USA flag colors.

Featuring ClimaCool and 37.5 TM technology, UV50 sun protection garments and high flexibility fabrics, this will keep the athlete functional and comfortable.

Each piece is crafted using 3D technology to ensure proper fit, incorporating strategically cut lines that enhance body movement. The classic red, white and blue of the USA are woven into every design. This bold effort is a representation of the nation and its athletes, embodying the philosophy that to win, one must feel and look like a winner.

J. Lindeberg to be official clothing partner of USA men and women's Summer Games
J. Lindeberg to be official clothing partner of USA men and women’s Summer Games. (J.Lindeberg)

“We are thrilled to reveal our full USA Golf Collection to the press and attendees in Orlando at the upcoming PGA Show,” said Hans-Christian Meyer, CEO of J. Lindeberg. “Dressing the USA teams for the Summer Games in Paris 2024 and Los Angeles 2028 will be an honor that underscores our commitment to excellence in golf and sportswear design alike.”

J. Lindeberg to be official clothing partner of USA men and women's Summer Games
J. Lindeberg to be official clothing partner of USA men and women’s Summer Games. (J.Lindeberg)

The collection is set to be available in early June, and the collection will turn heads in proper USA spirit. You can learn more about this collection here.

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Chet Holmgren included in 2024 Team USA player pool

Chet Holmgren included in 2024 Team USA player pool ahead of Olympics.

The 41-member 2024 USA Basketball men’s player pool was announced on Tuesday. The 12-player 2024 USA men’s team will participate in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris

The Oklahoma City Thunder have one player in the pool: rookie center Chet Holmgren. The 21-year-old was on the 2023 USA Basketball men’s select team this past offseason.

Holmgren is part of an impressive young trio that has led the Thunder to a 29-13 record and has them fighting for first place in the West halfway through the season.

Holmgren was drafted with the No. 2 pick of the 2022 NBA draft. In 42 games this season, he’s averaging 17.3 points on 54.2% shooting, 7.2 rebounds and 2.5 blocks. He’s shooting 38.6% from 3 on 4.2 attempts.

The full 41-player pool can be read below:

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Three former Notre Dame players on U.S. team training camp roster

Keep a lookout for this year’s Olympic roster.

With the 2024 Olympics in Paris only months away, now is the time for USA Basketball to plan its teams. That includes a women’s 5-on-5 team that can keep the gold medal in the U.S. Sure, the U.S. has won nine of the past 10 golds, but one never can be too certain.

Out of the 18 players on the U.S. training camp roster, 12 will be selected for the upcoming Olympic qualifying tournament. It should be noted that the U.S. is participating in the tournament despite automatically qualifying for the Paris Olympics by virtue of taking the gold in the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympics. The next few weeks will serve as player evaluation more than anything else.

Three players on the roster will be familiar to Notre Dame fans because they all played for the Irish. While none of these names are surprises, it still is nice to see them have this opportunity. Here they are:

Meet the 15 LPGA players ranked outside the top 200 on track to qualify for the Paris Olympics

A large part of the field for the 2024 Olympic Games remains relatively unknown to most golf fans.

While the race for powerhouse countries like the United States and South Korea is always interesting when it comes to the Olympic Games, a large part of the field remains relatively unknown to most golf fans.

As it currently stands, 15 players ranked outside the top 200 would qualify for the 60-player field. Many of those players do not have status on the LPGA.

With a qualifying cutoff date of June 24, or just after the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, players will have roughly six months to shore up a spot. The women’s Olympic event will be held Aug. 7-10, immediately after the men’s competition.

Here’s a review of how qualifying works:

The International Golf Federation utilizes the Rolex Rankings to create its own Olympic Golf Rankings. The top 15 players in the world are eligible for Paris, with a limit of four players from any given country. Currently, the United States is the only country with four players.

The rest of the field will come straight from the rankings, with a maximum of two eligible players from each country that does not already have two or more players in the top 15.

The host country, France, is ensured at least one spot, which will go to Celine Boutier, who is currently No. 3.

With a maximum of four players from the likes of the U.S. and South Korea, a number of highly-decorated players will once again be left at home.

Here’s a look at the 15 players currently ranked outside the top 200 of the Rolex Rankings (with their Olympic ranking) who have a shot at Paris: