GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Current and former Gators around the world earned spots on Olympic rosters this past week and will represent their respective nations in Paris this summer at the 2024 Summer Olympic Games. Parker Valby for the United States (10,000m), Genevieve LaCaze Gregson of Australia (Marathon), Jevaughn Powell of Jamaica (400m), and Joe Fahnbulleh of Liberia (100m, 200m) are among those who have earned the right to compete for their countries, and for Gator Nation, in the City of Lights.
HOW IT HAPPENED – Olympic Qualifiers
Genevieve LaCaze Gregson finished second in Australia's Marathon qualifying times and was one of Australia's three athletes selected to participate in the Women's Marathon. Her qualifying time of 2:23:08 was set in December of last year in Valencia.
Gregson competed in steeplechase during her career at Florida, and competed in the 3000m steeplechase for Australia in the 2012, 2016, and 2021 Games. In the 2021 Olympic games, a heartbreaking Achilles injury during the final water jump of the race threatened to end her career. Now, after a long recovery and a step up to the Marathon, Gregson has yet another chance at gold.
Eduardo Garcia, the 2015 SEC Outdoor champion in the 10,000m, has qualified for the Olympic Marathon representing the U.S. Virgin Islands. Garcia, the holder of many long-distance records for the U.S. Virgin Islands including the marathon and half marathon, will head to Paris for his first Summer Olympic games at the age of 31.
Parker Valby was selected to team USA after a second-place finish at the Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon. Valby, who set the collegiate record in the 10,000m earlier this year (30:50.43), crossed the finish line in 31:41.56, and was the only collegiate runner to compete in the race. The five-time NCAA champion now sets her eyes on Paris as she continues her legendary year.
Jevaughn Powell finished third in Jamaica's Men's 400m with a time of 44.79s, a mark that secured his spot in Paris on Jamaica's roster. After finishing first in his heat to advance to the finals, the 2024 First-Team All-American in the outdoor 400m claimed his ticket to Paris with the second-best time of his career, just behind his pace set during the 400m at the 2024 NCAA Outdoor Championships, where he also finished third en route to Florida's third consecutive national title.
Reheem Hayles was named to Jamaica's 4x400m Relay mixed open. One of the stronger competitors in Jamaica's 4x400m Men's Relay team that did not qualify for the summer games, Hayles was named to the mixed team in pursuit of gold.
Alida van Daalen continued her incredible year by earning a trip to Paris with the Netherlands, competing in both Shot put and Discus throw. Her 63.54m mark in Discus was good for second place in the Dutch Championships, and her 17.53m spot netted her fourth place. The 2024 SEC gold medalist and NCAA Bronze medalist in the Discus throw now looks to add a few more pieces of hardware to round out her season.
Two-time SEC Champion Lloydricia Cameron qualified for the Women's Shot put field with Team Jamaica. Cameron posted a 17.62m mark in the Jamaican National championships in Kingston, Jamaica, good for a second-place finish and a spot on Jamaica's roster for Paris.
Florida saw three athletes qualify for the 100m in Paris, two of which also qualified for the 200m.
Joe Fahnbulleh, running for Liberia, qualified for the events at the African Athletics Championships in Douala, Cameroon. His 10.13 mark in the 100m, and 20.25 mark in the 200m were both enough for a first-place finish, sending him to Paris as the African champion in both events. This will be Fahnbulleh's second Olympics, after the 2021 games in Tokyo. Fahnbulleh will also compete in the 4x100m relay with Team Liberia, after Fahnbulleh's heroics led them to a qualifying time at the World Athletics Relay Championships on April 5.
Wanya McCoy, a key member of Florida's 2023 NCAA Outdoor National Title team, qualified for both events representing the Bahamas. McCoy won the 100m at the Bahamian Championships in Nassau, and qualified for the 200m via world rankings.
Abdul Hakim Sani Brown, who once set Japan's national record for the 100m at 9.97 while at Florida, qualified for the 2024 Olympics with a 9.99 second pace. Sani Brown was the first Japanese Runner to qualify to the 2024 olympics in the event, setting his mark during a diamond league meet in Oslo on May 30th.
Two-time NCAA Champion, four-time SEC Champion and the 2021 SEC Scholar Athlete of the year, Thomas Mardal can now also call himself an Olympian. After setting school records in both the Hammer throw and Weight throw at Florida, Mardal continued to dominate competition in Europe in preparation for the 2024 Olympics. At the Norwegian championships in Sandnes, Norway on June 28, 2024, his 75.74m mark made him the Norwegian champion, and he was selected to Norway's Olympic roster.
GATORS IN THE OLYMPICS– Track and Field/Athletics
WOMEN'S 2024 OLYMPICS ROSTER
FULL NAME SPORT (EVENT) COUNTRY YEARS AT UF
Lloydricia Cameron Shot Put Jamaica 2015-18
Anna Hall Heptathalon United States 2022
Jasmine MoreLong Jump, Triple Jump United States 2022-23
Grace Stark 100m H United States 2020-24
Parker Valby 10,000m United States 2021-24
Alida van Daalen Shot put, Discus Netherlands 2023-present
Genevieve Gregson Marathon Australia 2009-12
MEN'S 2024 OLYMPICS ROSTER
FULL NAME SPORT (EVENT) COUNTRY YEARS AT UF
Malcolm Clemons Long Jump United States 2021-24
Joseph Fahnbulleh 100m, 200m, 4x100m r Liberia 2020-21
Eddie Garcia Marathon U.S. Virgin Islands 2012-16
Grant Holloway 110m H United States 2017-19
Thomas Mardal Hammer Throw Norway 2018-21
Wanya McCoy 100m, 200m Bahamas 2024
Jevaughn Powell 400m Jamaica 2023-24
Reheem Hayles 4x400m mixed r Jamaica 2024
Hakim Sani Brown 100m Japan 2018-19
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