2024 Paris Summer Olympics: Local athletes to watch

A look at Team USA Olympics athletes from Washington and 5-on-5 basketball players who have ties to college and pro teams from the state.

BY SEATTLESPORTS.COM STAFF

Jul 27, 2024, 11:09 AM Updated: 12:42 pm

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Cashmere High School grad Hailey Van Lith of the USA Women's 3x3 team. (Alex Slitz/Getty Images)

(Alex Slitz/Getty Images)

The 2024 Paris Summer Olympics kicked off with Friday’s opening ceremony and run through the closing ceremony on Aug. 11. Here’s a look at Team USA athletes from Washington state who qualified for Paris, along with Olympic five-on-five basketball players who have ties to Washington state teams. Also included are Team USA athletes from Washington state who qualified for the 2024 Summer Paralympic Games, which run Aug. 28 through Sept. 8 in Paris.

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Team USA Olympic athletes from Washington state

NOTE: All information below is from the Team USA website, unless linked to another source.

• CJ Allen | Track and Field | Pullman | age: 29 | 1st-time Olympian

Allen placed 10th in the men’s 400-meter hurdles at the 2023 world championships.

• Jordan Chiles | Gymnastics | Vancouver | age: 23 | 2nd-time Olympian

Chiles helped Team USA women’s gymnastics team to a silver medal at the 2020 Olympics. She also earned three medals at the 2022 world championships, where she helped Team USA to a gold medal and won silver in both the floor exercise and vault.

• Jonas Ecker | Canoe/Kayak | Bellingham | age: 21 | 1st-time Olympian

Ecker and partner Aaron Small placed seventh in the men’s K2 500 meters at the 2022 world championships.

• Nevin Harrison | Canoe/Kayak | Seattle | age: 22 | 2nd-time Olympian

Harrison, a Roosevelt High School alum, won a gold medal in the women’s canoe sprint 200 meters at the 2020 Olympics. She also is a two-time gold medalist at the world championships.

• Keana Hunter | Artistic Swimming | Seattle | age: 20 | 1st-time Olympian

Hunter, an Issaquah High School alum, earned three top-10 finishes at the 2022 world championships.

• Audrey Kwon | Artistic Swimming | Seattle | age 18 | 1st-time Olympian

Kwon earned three top-three finishes at the 2022 U.S. junior national championships, including a first-place finish in the free duet.

• Rielly Milne | Rowing | Woodinville | age: 28 | 1st-time Olympian

Milne, who rowed for the UW Huskies, is the coxswain for the U.S. men’s eight boat. He was part of medal-winning finishes at both the 2017 and 2018 under-23 World Rowing Championships.

• Evan Olson | Rowing | Seattle | age: 26 | 1st-time Olympian

Olson placed fifth in the men’s pair at the 2023 world championships.

• Jacob Plihal | Rowing | Vashon Island | age: 28 | 1st-time Olympian

Plihal placed 14th in the men’s quadruple sculls at the 2022 world championships.

• Kenneth Rooks | Track and Field | College Place | age: 24 | 1st-time Olympian

Rooks, an alum of College Place High School near Walla Walla, ran for BYU and won the national championship in the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase in 2023.

• Aaron Small | Canoe/Kayak | Seattle | age: 23 | 1st-time Olympian

Small and partner Jonas Ecker placed seventh in the men’s K2 500 meters at the 2022 world championships. Small has also won two medals at the Pan American Games, winning silver in the K1 500 meters in 2024 and bronze in the K2 500 meters in 2023.

• Hailey Van Lith | Basketball | Wenatchee | age: 22 | 1st-time Olympian

Van Lith, a former Cashmere High School star, is on the Team USA women’s 3-on-3 basketball team. Last year, she won a gold medal with Team USA at the 2023 FIBA 3×3 Women’s World Cup. Van Lith is a college basketball star who played three seasons at Louisville and one season at LSU before transferring to TCU this spring. The 5-foot-9 guard has helped her teams to three consecutive Elite Eight appearances in the NCAA Tournament, including a Final Four trip with Louisville in 2022. Back when Van Lith was a five-star recruit in high school, NBA legend Kobe Bryant traveled to small-town Cashmere to watch one of her games.

Olympic 5-on-5 basketball players with ties to Washington state teams

• Kevin Durant | U.S. | Seattle SuperSonics | age: 35 | 4th-time Olympian

Durant, a former No. 2 overall pick who played for the Sonics during their final season before moving to Oklahoma City, is a three-time Olympic gold medalist and a 16-year NBA veteran. He’s a four-time NBA scoring champion, two-time NBA champion and 13-time All-Star. He was named the league’s MVP in 2014.

• Yvonne Ejim | Canada | Gonzaga | age: 22 | 1st-time Olympian

Ejim is making her first appearances at the Olympics. She was the West Coast Conference Player of the Year and and AP All-America honorable mention this past season. Ejim helped the Zags reach four straight women’s NCAA Tournaments, including a Sweet 16 appearance this year.

• Rui Hachimura | Japan | Gonzaga | age: 26 | 2nd-time Olympian

Hachimura is competing at his second Olympics. He helped Gonzaga reach the the NCAA Tournament in all three of his seasons, including a run to national title game in 2017. He was the No. 9 overall pick in the 2019 draft.

• Josh Hawkinson | Men’s Basketball | Shoreline | age: 29 | 1st-time Olympian

Hawkinson, a Shorewood High School and WSU Cougars alum, is making his first appearance in the Olympics after becoming a Japanese citizen in 2023. He’s played seven years professionally in Japan following a standout career with WSU.

• Lauren Jackson | Australia | Seattle Storm | age: 42 | 5th-time Olympian

Jackson is a four-time Olympic medalist who won three league MVPs and two championships during a stellar career with the Seattle Storm. Jackson earned eight consecutive All-WNBA selections, five nods to the All-WNBA Defensive Team and seven All-Star selections.

• Jewell Loyd | U.S. | Seattle Storm | age: 30 | 2nd-time Olympian

Loyd, a two-time WNBA champion with the Storm, won a gold medal in 2020. The “Gold Mamba” has made six WNBA All-Star appearances, including a current run of four straight selections, and three All-WNBA teams. She was the WNBA Rookie of the Year in 2015.

• Ezi Magbegor | Australia | Seattle Storm | age: 25 | 2nd-time Olympian

Magebegor, a two-time World Cup medalist, is making her second Olympic appearance. She helped the Storm win a WNBA championship during her rookie season, is a two-time All-WNBA Defensive Team selection and a one-time All-Star.

• Andrew Nembhard | Canada | Gonzaga | age: 24 | 1st-time Olympian

Nembhard is playing in his first Olympics. A second-round NBA draft pick in 2022, Nembhard earned two All-West Coast Conference nods and helped Gonzaga reach two NCAA Tournaments, including a berth in the title game in 2021.

• Kia Nurse | Canada | Seattle Storm | age: 28 | 3rd-time Olympian

Nurse led Canada in scoring and minutes in her two previous Olympic appearances. She spent the 2023 WNBA season with the Storm and was an All-Star for the New York Liberty in 2019.

• Kelly Olynyk | Canada | Gonzaga | age: 33 | 1st-time Olympian

Olynyk was the captain for Canada’s bronze medal-winning team at the 2023 FIBA Men’s Basketball World Cup, which was the country’s first-ever medal at the tournament. He was an All-American and West Coast Conference Player of the Year during a decorated career at Gonzaga. Olynyk is an 11-year NBA veteran.

• Filip Petrušev | Serbia | Gonzaga | age: 24 | 1st-time Olympian

Petrušev is making his first Olympic appearance. He led Serbia with 15.5 points per game during the qualifying tournament for the 2020 Olympics. Petrušev was an All-American and West Coast Conference Player of the Year during his second and final season at Gonzaga. He made his NBA debut last season.

• Kelsey Plum | U.S. | Washington | age: 29 | 2nd-time Olympian

Plum, a former UW Huskies standout, won a gold medal in 2020. The 29 year old has made three straight WNBA All-Star appearances, one All-WNBA team and was the league’s Sixth Player of the Year in 2021. While at UW, Plum set the all-time NCAA scoring record, won AP National Player of the Year in 2017 and led the Huskies to three straight NCAA Tournament berths, including a Final Four appearance in 2016.

• Breanna Stewart | U.S. | Seattle Storm | age: 29 | 3rd-time Olympian

Stewart is a two-time Olympic gold medalist with a lengthy list of achievements on the hardwood. She’s a two-time WNBA MVP, six-time All-Star, six-time All-WNBA pick, four-time All-WNBA Defensive Team selection and won Rookie of the Year in 2016. She also helped lead the Seattle Storm to a pair of WNBA titles. Stewart, who now plays for the New York Liberty, is one of 11 athletes who have earned Olympic gold, FIBA World Cup gold and WNBA and NCAA championships.

• Sami Whitcomb | Australia | Seattle Storm/UW Huskies | age: 36 | 1st-time Olympian

Whitcomb, a two-time WNBA champion with the Storm and former UW standout, is making her Olympic debut. She was an All-Pac-12 selection as a senior with the Huskies. Whitcomb is in her eighth WNBA season.

• Gabby Williams | France | Seattle Storm | age: 27 | 2nd-time Olympian

Williams won a bronze medal with France during her first Olympic appearance at the COVID-delayed Tokyo Games. She’s played five season in the WNBA, including two with the Storm. She was an All-WNBA Defensive Team pick in 2022.

Team USA Paralympic athletes from Washington state

NOTE: All information below is from the Team USA website, unless linked to another source.

• Hannah Dederick | Para Track and Field | Mead | age: 21 | 2nd-time Paralympian

Dederick earned a pair of top-10 finishes at the 2020 Tokyo Games, placing fourth in the women’s 100 meters and 10th in the 400 meters.

• Travis Gaertner | Para-Cycling | Burien | age: 44 | 3rd-time Paralympian

Gaertner won two gold medals in men’s wheelchair basketball with Team Canada in the 2000 Sydney Games and 2004 Athens Games. He also has won four bronze medals in para-cycling at the world championships.

• Elouan Gardon | Para-Cycling | Acme | age: 18 | 1st-time Paralympian

Gardon is heading to his first Paralympics as a track specialist on Team USA’s roster.

• Aaron Keith | Para-Cycling | Woodinville | age: 53 | 2nd-time Paralympian

Keith won a silver medal in the men’s time trial at the 2020 Tokyo Games and had top-six finishes in two other events. He also has won 13 medals at the world championships, including three gold medals.

• Lindi Marcusen | Para Track and Field | Spokane | age: 28 | 1st-time Paralympian

Marcusen broke an American record in the 100 meters during the 2024 U.S. Paralympic Team Trials.

• Jaleen Roberts | Para Track and Field | Kent | age: 25 | 2nd-time Paralympian

Roberts won a pair of silver medals in the women’s 100 meters and long jump at the 2020 Tokyo Games, while also placing sixth in the 200 meters. She also is an eight-time medalist at the world championships, including a gold medal in the mixed universal relay in 2019.

• Susannah Scaroni | Para Track and Field | Tekoa | age: 33 | 4th-time Paralympian

Scaroni won two medals at the 2020 Olympics, capturing gold in the women’s 5,000 meters and bronze in the 800 meters. She has a total of six top-10 finishes in her three trips to the Paralympics. She has also won three bronze medals at the world championships.

• Taylor Swanson | Para Track and Field | Spokane | age: 31 | 1st-time Paralympian

Swanson a pair of silver medals in the women’s 100 meters and 200 meters at the 2024 world championships.