This story was reported and written by VPM News.
Out of nearly 600 athletes competing for Team USA in the Paris Olympics, 15 call Virginia their home. Ahead of the Paris games, U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger gave Virginia’s athletes a shoutout on the House floor.
“Their success is a testament to their relentless pursuit of greatness — the years of rigorous training, the sacrifice, and the instrumental support of their families, their friends, their coaches, and their communities,” she said.
Four of the 15 Olympians call the Central Virginia region home, including two first-time swimmers: Crozet’s Thomas Heilman and Richmond’s Charlie Swanson.
As of July 29, here are how the athletes are doing in the games.
Will Coleman, Equestrian, Gordonsville
Coleman was switched out at the last minute in Team USA’s Eventing team because his horse, Diabolo, presented with a possible abscess in his hoof when he arrived in Paris.
Claire Collins, Rowing, McLean
The 27-year-old is competing in her second Olympics after finishing 7th in the women’s fours event in Tokyo. The U.S. women’s eights team finished second in its heat Monday morning behind reigning gold medalist and world record holder Romania, which advanced directly to the final along with Great Britain.
The U.S. moves to the “repechage” round — a second-chance race streaming on Peacock at 4:10 a.m. EDT Thursday — along with the other nations to not win their heats: Australia, Canada, Denmark and Italy. The top four repechage finishers will move on to the finals Saturday.
Leah Crouse, Field Hockey, Virginia Beach
Along with every other member of the U.S. Women’s Field Hockey team, the 24-year-old, is making her Olympic debut, after the U.S. failed to qualify for 2020’s Tokyo Games. The U.S. lost its opening contest 4–1 to Argentina and tied 1–1 with Spain Monday morning; it has remaining pool play games against Australia, Great Britain and South Africa.
Justin Dowell, BMX, Virginia Beach
Dowell, 24, is looking to build on his eighth-place finish in the park BMX freestyle competition in Tokyo. The men’s park freestyle qualifier will be streaming online Tuesday at 9:11 a.m. EDT, with the top nine riders moving onto the final Wednesday at 8:45 a.m. EDT on USA Network.
Greg Duncan, Swimming, Oakton
Greg Duncan, 25, is making his Olympic debut. He and former Purdue diving teammate Tyler Downs are competing in the men’s synchronized 3-meter springboard final Aug. 2. The final will be streamed live on Peacock at 5 a.m. EDT and rebroadcast on NBC at 8 p.m. EDT.
Emily Fox, Soccer, Ashburn
Fox, 26, started at right back in each of the American women’s first two games. Fox played the full 90 minutes in a 3–0 win against Zambia and was subbed off in stoppage time of a 4–1 defeat of Germany. Fox, who plays for English club Arsenal, was one of seven U.S. players to make their Olympic debut against Zambia.
The USWNT's final group game, against Australia, kicks off at 1 p.m. Wednesday, with broadcasts in English on E! and in Spanish on Universo.
Thomas Heilman, Swimming, Crozet
At 17, Heilman is the youngest American swimmer to qualify for the Olympics since Michael Phelps. He will make his Olympic debut on July 30 in the men’s 200-meter butterfly event. He is set to compete in Heat 3, which will determine if he makes it to the finals, which will take place on July 31.
His other event, the men’s 100-meter butterfly, is set to take place on Aug. 2, where he’ll be competing in the fourth heat. The fastest 16 from the heats will move onto the semifinals on the same day, before heading to the finals on Aug. 3.
Grant Holloway, Track and Field, Chesapeake
Holloway earned a silver medal in 110-meter hurdle event at the 2021 Tokyo Games and is returning to Paris hoping to win another medal. He has yet to compete in the games, as track and field events — classified as “athletics” events at the Olympics — kick off on Aug. 1.
The first round of the men's hurdles is scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 4 at 5:50 a.m. EDT and will be available via NBC and Peacock.
Hadley Husisian, Fencing, Oakton
Husisian made her Olympic debut competing for Team USA on the fencing team. She competed in the women’s epee event on July 27. In the Round of 32, she won her bout 12–11 in an overtime tiebreak against Switzerland’s Pauline Brunner, but lost in the Round of 16 to Hong Kong’s Vivian Kong Man Wai, 15–12.
Torri Huske, Swimming, Arlington
Huske has two medals so far in this year’s games: a gold medal in the women’s 100-meter butterfly, and a silver medal in the 4x100-meter freestyle relay. She edged out teammate (and fellow University of Virginia teammate) Gretchen Walsh, who finished 0.04 seconds behind Huske, earning silver. Huske and Walsh were also part of the relay team that brought home a silver medal for Team USA in the 4x100 meter freestyle relay. Together, they are the first Americans to win multiple medals in the Paris Games.
Noah Lyles, Track and Field, Alexandria
Lyles, 27, has yet to compete. He will be participating in the 100-meter — which begins with preliminaries streaming on Peacock Saturday, Aug. 3, at 4:35 a.m. EDT — and 200-meter races, and is expected to be chosen for the 4x100-meter relay team after anchoring the U.S. to a gold medal at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest.
Lyles made his Olympic debut in Tokyo in 2021, taking home the bronze medal in the 200-meter sprint.
Kevin Paredes, Soccer, South Riding
The 21-year-old, who plays for Germany’s VFL Wolfsburg, has started both games on the right wing for the U.S., playing 76 minutes in a 3–0 loss to France and 69 minutes against New Zealand in a 4–1 win.
The USMNT's final group game against Guinea kicks off at 1 p.m. EDT Tuesday; it will be broadcast in English on USA Network and in Spanish on Telemundo.
Charlie Swanson, Swimming, Richmond
Swanson, 26, made his Olympics debut this year in the men’s 100-meter breaststroke. The St. Christopher’s and University of Michigan alumnus finished 14th overall in the event on July 27.
Christian Tabash, Rowing, Alexandria
Tabash first got interested in competing in rowing in 2008, when he saw the event during the Beijing games. The Harvard University grad made his debut with Team USA on July 29, where the American men’s eight rowing team came in first in their heat.
The team will be moving onto the finals, which are set to take place on Aug. 3 at 5:10 a.m. EDT. The game will be aired live on USA Network and part of encore coverage on USA at 12:30 p.m. EDT and NBC at 3:45 p.m. EDT.
Griffin Yow, Soccer, Clifton
Yow, who plays professionally for KVC Westerlo in Belgium, has made two substitute appearances. The 21-year-old replaced Paxten Aaronson on the left wing after 76 minutes against France; against New Zealand, he assisted Aaronson for the USMNT’s fourth goal one minute after coming onto the field.
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