{"id":201100,"date":"2024-07-26T16:08:33","date_gmt":"2024-07-27T02:08:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=201100"},"modified":"2024-07-31T08:07:43","modified_gmt":"2024-07-31T18:07:43","slug":"12-uh-athletes-to-compete-in-paris-olympics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2024\/07\/26\/12-uh-athletes-to-compete-in-paris-olympics\/","title":{"rendered":"12 UH<\/abbr> athletes to compete in Paris Olympics"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 3<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>

\"Summer<\/p>\n

The University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> at M\u0101noa will be well represented at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Thirteen current, former and future Rainbow Warriors and Rainbow Wahine will participate at the 2024 Paris Olympics—12 athletes and one coach.<\/p>\n

The 12 athletes match the highest total for UH<\/abbr> in any Olympics (12 in 2000). Two athletes represent the U.S.—kiteboarder Daniela Moroz<\/a> and men\u2019s volleyball player Taylor Averill—along with women\u2019s volleyball assistant coach Alfee Reft. Moroz and men\u2019s basketball player Akira Jacobs<\/a> (Japan) are current UH<\/abbr> student-athletes, while water polo player Ema Vernoux<\/a> (France) is an incoming freshman for the Rainbow Wahine. Water polo player Camille Radosavljevic<\/a> (France) took a break from UH<\/abbr> but is expected to return following the Olympics.<\/p>\n

Four of the 12 compete in water polo followed by three each in swimming and basketball (5×5 and 3×3), and one each in sailing and men\u2019s volleyball. Along with the two U.S. athletes, other countries represented include France (2), New Zealand (2), American Samoa (1), Australia (1), Canada (1), Japan (1), Latvia (1) and Netherlands (1).<\/p>\n

UH<\/abbr> Women\u2019s Volleyball Head Coach Robyn Ah Mow competed for the U.S. in the 2000, 2004 and 2008 Olympics, and explained what the athletes are likely feeling ahead of this year\u2019s games.<\/p>\n

“Anxious, nervous, excited,” Ah Mow said. “We started playing right after the Opening Ceremonies, so we practiced all the way up to the start of the games. In all three, we were on site at least a week prior\u2014we were training, we were there, so we were in the moment already.<\/p>\n

For the opening ceremonies\u2026from my first one to the third one, they were all totally different. But for the first one, I was in amazement of just being there about to walk into the opening ceremonies to play in one of the biggest sporting events in the world. To be one of only 12 out of a zillion players to make the U.S. National Team was an achievement. I was proud to literally represent my country and Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> where I was born and raised and went to school.”<\/p>\n

More UH<\/abbr> Olympic athletes<\/strong>: <\/p>\n