Georgia Finishes Olympics With 11 Medals

Georgia's Olympians

ATHENS, Ga. – Athletes from the University of Georgia concluded the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo Sunday with 11 medals, including three golds.

Georgia athletes claimed three gold, two silver, and six bronze medals during the Games in swimming and track and field, while Bulldog alums represented their nations in diving, tennis, and golf as well. If the University of Georgia was a country, it would have placed 23rd in the total medal count.

In total, 27 athletes and one coach competing for 12 countries represented Georgia in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Swimming alum Chase Kalisz highlighted the performances, combining with Bulldog teammate Jay Litherland for a 1-2 finish in the men's 400-meter IM on the opening night of the games, earning Team USA's first two medals in Tokyo. In track and field, Bahamian Shaunae Miller-Uibo defended her title in the women's 400-meter, while fellow Georgia product Lynna Irby earned gold for the United States in the women's 4x400-meter relay.

In addition to Kalisz and Litherland, former and future Bulldogs continued to shine at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre. Alum Allison Schmitt earned silver in the women's 800-meter freestyle relay and bronze in the 400-meter freestyle, bringing her to 10 career medals, the most of any Georgia athlete and the fourth-most by an American female swimmer. Hali Flickinger took home a pair of bronze medals in the 400-meter IM and 200-meter butterfly and Olivia Smoliga won bronze in the 400-meter freestyle relay. Additionally, alums Nic Fink and Gunnar Bentz reached finals in their events, while incoming freshman Duné Coetzee set an African record as part of the women's 800-meter freestyle relay team for South Africa.

Tom Cousins Swimming and Diving Head Coach Jack Bauerle participated in his fourth Olympics as a member of the United States coaching staff, serving as a men's assistant coach. Along with the exploits of his Georgia athletes, two members of Bauerle's pro training group medaled: Andrew Wilson won gold in the men's 400-meter medley relay and Natalie Hinds took bronze in the women's 400-meter freestyle relay. Former Georgia diving coach Dan Laak served as USA Diving's High-Performance Director, helping the Americans earn three medals.

At the track, Irby and rising senior Elija Godwin teamed up to grab the bronze in the mixed 4x400 mixed relay. Alum Garrett Scantling posted the top American finish in the decathlon, placing fourth, while fellow alum Kendell Williams finished fifth in the heptathlon. Representing Luxembourg, alum Charles Grethen placed 12^th in the men's 1,500. In the field, alum Keturah Orji finished seventh in the triple jump final and alum Morgann Leleux reached the pole vault final, but an injury kept her from clearing the first height.

Elsewhere in Tokyo, alum Sepp Straka finished tied for 10^th in the men's golf event as he represented Austria with twin brother and fellow Bulldog Sam on the bag. Straka just missed out on qualifying for the seven-player bronze medal playoff with a final score of 14-under. In the first round, his 8-under 63 matched the previous Olympic record before being eclipsed in the final round by Rory Sabbatini of Slovakia. In women's tennis, former standout Ellen Perez partnered with fellow Australian Sam Stosur to reach the doubles quarterfinals and narrowly miss the medal round.

In addition to athletic performances, the Bulldogs were represented in the media field as well. Volleyball alum Maria Taylor made her debut for NBC at the Olympics, helping to host the network's basketball coverage. Assistant Athletic Director Mike Mobley served as the media relations coordinator for the handball tournament, while former women's golfers Abby Johnson and Marta Silva Zamora worked for Golf Channel and the Olympic Broadcast Services respectively.

With the Summer Olympic Games completed, attention now turns to the Paralympic Games, which begin on Tuesday, Aug. 24 in Tokyo. Georgia alum Jarryd Wallace, son of women's tennis coach Jeff Wallace, will compete in his third Paralympics, taking the track in both the men's 100-meter and 200-meter events.

The next Summer Olympic Games will be held in Paris, France in 2024.

Georgia Medalists
Track and Field
Lynna Irby (USA) – Women's 4x400m Relay, Gold
Shaunae Miller-Uibo (Bahamas) – Women's 400m, Gold
Elija Godwin (USA) – Mixed 4x400m Relay, Bronze
Lynna Irby (USA) – Mixed 4x400m Relay, Bronze

Swimming
Chase Kalisz (USA) – Men's 400m IM - Gold
Allison Schmitt (USA) – Women's 800m Freestyle Relay, Silver
Jay Litherland (USA) – Men's 400m IM, Silver
Hali Flickinger (USA) – Women's 400m IM, Bronze
Allison Schmitt (USA) – Women's 400m Freestyle Relay, Bronze
Olivia Smoliga (USA) – Women's 400m Freestyle Relay, Bronze
Hali Flickinger (USA) – Women's 200m Butterfly, Bronze

Georgia Olympians
Cejhae Green – Antigua & Barbuda, Track & Field (100m)
Ellen Perez – Australia, Women's Tennis (Doubles)
Sepp Straka – Austria, Golf
Shaunae Miller-Uibo – Bahamas, Track & Field (200m / 400m)
Javier Acevedo – Canada, Swimming (400m Mixed Relay)
Johannes Erm – Estonia, Track & Field (Decathlon)
Karel Tilga – Estonia, Track & Field (Decathlon)
Maicel Uibo – Estonia, Track & Field (Decathlon)
Chanice Porter – Jamaica, Track & Field (Long Jump)
Charles Grethen – Luxembourg, Track & Field (1,500m)
Freida Lim – Singapore, Diving (10m Platform)
Duné Coetzee – South Africa, Swimming (800m Freestyle Relay)
Levern Spencer – St. Lucia, Track & Field (High Jump)
Gunnar Bentz – USA, Swimming (200m Butterfly)
Nic Fink – USA, Swimming (200m Breaststroke)
Hali Flickinger – USA, Swimming (200m Butterfly / 400m IM)
Chase Kalisz – USA, Swimming (200m IM / 400m IM)
Jay Litherland – USA, Swimming (400m IM)
Allison Schmitt – USA, Swimming (200m Freestyle / 400m Freestyle Relay / 800m Freestyle Relay)
Olivia Smoliga – USA, Swimming (400m Freestyle Relay)
Jack Bauerle – USA, Swimming (Men's Assistant Coach)
Elija Godwin – USA, Swimming (Relays)
Lynna Irby – USA, Swimming (Relays)
Morgann Leleux – USA, Track & Field (Pole Vault)
Jasmine Moore – USA, Track & Field (Triple Jump)
Keturah Orji – USA, Track & Field (Triple Jump)
Garrett Scantling – USA, Track & Field (Decathlon)
Kendell Williams – USA, Track & Field (Heptathlon)

University of Georgia Athletics

Players Mentioned

Javier Acevedo

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