As Rio looms just around the corner, over 50 current and former Badgers across seven sports have qualified for the Olympic Trials, and in some cases have already made the team. Here are just some of the stories of the Badger athletes that have a chance to compete in Brazil.
Already Qualified:
Wisconsin fans may remember Alev Kelter as a talented two-sport athlete with Olympic potential in both hockey and soccer. The 2015 graduate and Alaska native played both sports all through college, and even tried out for the national hockey team, hoping to participate in the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia. After narrowly missing the final cut for that team, Kelter turned her attention to a third sport: rugby. It turned out to be the perfect fit for her aggressive and physical playing style, and after only playing for a little under two years, she made Team USA, which will participate in Rio.
Egle Staisiunaite is a Lithuanian hurdler, who almost didn’t go out for her high school’s track team, and is now qualified for her second Olympics in the 400-meter hurdles. The 2012 graduate is currently the only non-distance runner representing her country in track and field. She placed 22nd at last summer’s World Championships in her event.
Senior Matt Hutchins is the reigning Big Ten Swimmer of the Year and is headed to Rio as a member of the New Zealand team. He qualified for the Olympics back in April after a dominant swim in the 400-meter freestyle.
Mohammed Ahmed has a story that spans three countries - Somalia, where he was born and lived until the age of 11, the U.S., where he attended UW and graduated in 2015, and Canada, where he grew up and competes internationally in track and field. Ahmed will race in both the 5K and the 10K in Rio, events in which he holds national records. This is Ahmed’s second Olympics, and the Badger alum is most definitely in medal contention this time around.
Gwen Jorgensen, a 2009 graduate, has dominated international competition. She went from a swimmer and cross-country runner for the Badgers, to the most dominant tri-athlete in the world in just three years. Her meteoric rise to the top allowed her to qualify for the 2012 Olympics, and she currently has not placed outside the top two for two years. Jorgensen is favored to win the gold medal in this event in Rio.
Hopefuls:
Last summer, women’s swimmer Abby Jagdfeld decided to transfer from Purdue to Wisconsin last-minute. Because of NCAA transfer rules, Jagdfeld was only allowed to compete in open meets, which ended up working to her advantage because they were in an Olympic-sized pool. She has finaled in nearly every meet she has swam in this year against top-tier college and professional competition. She has qualified for Olympic Trials in four events.
Zach Ziemek is hoping for a chance to be crowned “World’s Greatest Athlete.” The dominant decathlete ran circles around the Big Ten and NCAA this past year as a redshirt senior, and is hoping to take his talents to yet another international stage. Last summer, he placed 15th in the event at the World Championships, a major accomplishment for a, then, 22-year-old amateur.
The seemingly never-ending list of accolades for Kelsey Card this year includes Student-Athlete of the Year, Big Ten Champion, and Olympic Trials auto-qualifier. The talented discus and shot put thrower has been crushing both the competition and school records for the last five years. The 2016 graduate has her sights set on Rio.
Drew teDuits has just one shot at the Olympics in only one event. A Madison native, 2016 graduate and 2013 NCAA champion in the 200-yard backstroke, teDuits has his sights set on the 100-meter backstroke, where he is ranked within the top 20 in the country. In addition to training for Olympic Trials, teDuits is preparing to enter his first year of dental school.
2013 graduate Michael Weiss, a swimmer, has a host of international experience ranging from the Pan American Games to the FINA World Championships. The multi-event star will be pitted up against the likes of Ryan Lochte and Michael Phelps, both of whom he competes against regularly, for a spot on the U.S. Olympic team in at least one of his many events. Oh, and he’s also planning a wedding while training for the Olympics.
Other notable names to watch for:
Ivy Martin, swimming; Cierra Runge, swimming; Haley Showalter, track and field; Cannon Clifton, swimming; Brett Pinfold, swimming; Sophia Rivera, track and field; Michael Lihrman, track and field; Chase Kinney, swimming; Beata Nelson, swimming; Dana Grindall, swimming; Camille Hodge, swimming
