Fling Your Gold, Silver and Bronze
Seven current and former Baylor student-athletes competed in the 2024 Olympic Games, held July 25-August 11 in Paris.
Four Bears earned medals for their respective countries, extending a streak of at least one Baylor Olympian medaling in eight of the last nine Summer Games.
Brittney Griner, B.S.Ed. ’19, (U.S.A. women’s basketball) and John Peers (Australia men’s tennis doubles) both collected gold medals, Avery Skinner (U.S.A. women’s volleyball) earned silver and Kristy Wallace, B.S.Ed. ’18, (Australia women’s basketball) notched a bronze medal.
Griner earned her third-straight gold medal, helping Team U.S.A. earn the program’s eighth consecutive gold.
Competing in her first Olympic Games since returning from a 2022 wrongful detainment in Russia, Griner’s return to the international stage with Team U.S.A. ended in a tearful and emotional moment as she stood on the medal podium when The Star-Spangled Banner played.
“It means so much to me, my family. I didn’t think I would be here,” Griner said postgame. “And then to be here and win gold for my country, representing when my country fought so hard for me to even be standing here. This gold medal is going to hold a special place amongst the other two.”
Peers collected his second career medal but first gold, returning from a bronze in mixed doubles at the Tokyo Games to clinch his first title with fellow Aussie Matt Ebden.
The duo topped Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram of the United States, 6-7 (6), 7-6 (1), 10-8 in a match tiebreaker in the final.
Peers and Abden survived a late push by the Americans, with the former Bear serving on match point, volleying the U.S. return and slamming home the medal-winning match point for the Aussies.
Despite his winning efforts on the clay to snap a 28-year gold medal drought for Australia tennis, it was Peers’ daughter Ellie who stole the show in the TV broadcast.
Crossing fingers on both hands to help will her dad to victory, the 7-year-old became an international hit and was joined by her younger sister, Harper, to celebrate the win on the court with Peers.
Skinner made her Olympic debut and became the first Bear to compete in volleyball, helping Team U.S.A. to a silver while playing a key role in several matches.
The outside hitter was the clear MVP of the team’s semifinal match with Brazil, with Skinner lifting the U.S. on 15 kills, 10 digs, three blocks and an ace.
Wallace and Australia’s Opals notched a bronze over Belgium after falling to Griner and Team U.S.A. in the women’s basketball semifinals.
Primarily coming off the bench for the Aussies, Wallace played her most minutes of the Olympics in the semifinal matchup with the U.S., logging 21 minutes with four points, two rebounds, three assists and a steal.
Former Baylor forward Nuni Omot helped lead South Sudan to the country’s first-ever Olympics berth in basketball. Omot provided a stellar spark for the Bright Stars, the youngest basketball nation in Olympic history, less than a decade after South Sudan inaugurated its basketball federation.
Omot poured in 16.7 points per game, good for 15th among the Olympics field. Tasked with facing NBA greats like Lebron James, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant in a Group Phase matchup with Team U.S.A., Omot battled the competition with a game-high 24 points.
Rising Baylor seniors Nathaniel Ezekiel and Chinecherem Prosper “Zaza” Nnamdi both represented Nigeria in track and field, with Ezekiel racing through to the 11th best time in the men’s 400m hurdles and Nnamdi getting his first taste of the Olympics experience in a stacked men’s javelin field. The Waco roommates both hold national records in their respective events.
Baylor head track coach Michael Ford coached Team U.S.A. in the men’s sprints and hurdles, helping the national track and field team to a total of 34 medals, including 14 gold, 11 silver and nine bronze medals.