Editor's note: We're keeping track of the Coloradans who've won Olympic medals at the Tokyo Summer Olympics right here.
Of the 613 Olympians the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee will send to compete in the upcoming Summer Olympics in Tokyo, 32 are from Colorado.
The Colorado Springs-based Olympic committee announced the complete national team Wednesday. Athletes from 46 states and the District of Columbia are represented on this year’s Team USA. Colorado has the third most people on the roster, narrowly beating out Texas’ 31 people. Olympians are asked to self-identify by hometown, which could be different from their birthplace or where they grew up.
Coloradans will participate in events as varied as kayaking, wrestling, and taekwondo. Both Americans in the modern pentathlon — a multi-discipline event where athletes compete in fencing, swimming, equestrian riding, pistol shooting, and cross country running — are from Colorado. Javelin thrower Kara Winger, who lives and trains in Colorado Springs but is originally from Vancouver, will also be at the games.
The Olympics will begin on July 21. The opening ceremony, when athletes parade into the stadium to witness the lighting of the Olympic flame, will kick off two days later. The Tokyo Paralympics will also start later this summer, with those rosters due to be announced in early August.
Olympians worldwide were devastated when the International Olympic Committee officially delayed the games last year, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Athletes, who were mentally and physically prepared to compete, suddenly had to figure out how to maintain their peak fitness for an extra year.
This year’s Summer Games will still be affected by the pandemic. With Tokyo under a state of emergency, spectators will not be allowed to watch any of the events in-person. And, breaking with tradition, victorious athletes will have to drape their own medals over their heads.
These are the Coloradans participating in the Summer Games and their events:
- Zachary Lokken, Durango (canoe/kayak)
- Christopher Blevins, Durango (cycling)
- Maddie Godby, Louisville (cycling)
- Erin Huck, Boulder (cycling)
- Yul Moldauer, Arvada (gymnastics)
- Amro ElGeziry, Colorado Springs (modern pentathlon)
- Samantha Schultz, Littleton (modern pentathlon)
- Kendall Chase, Evergreen (rowing)
- Jessica Thoennes, Denver (rowing)
- Cody Melphy, Littleton (rugby, reserve roster)
- Amber English, Colorado Springs (shooting)
- Lucas Kozeniesky, Colorado Springs (shooting)
- Will Shaner, Colorado Springs (shooting)
- Lindsey Horan, Golden (soccer)
- Colin Duffy, Broomfield (sport climbing)
- Brooke Raboutou, Boulder (sport climbing)
- Anastasija Zolotic, Colorado Springs (taekwondo)
- Valeria Allman, Longmont (track and field)
- Hillary Bor, Colorado Springs (track and field)
- Emma Coburn, Crested Butte (track and field)
- Val Constien, Edwards (track and field)
- Elise Cranny, Boulder (track and field)
- Mason Finley, Chaffee County (track and field)
- Bernard Keter, Colorado Springs (track and field)
- Woody Kincaid, Littleton (track and field)
- Annie Kunz, Denver (track and field)
- Kevin McDowell, Colorado Springs (triathlon)
- Summer Rappaport, Thornton (triathlon)
- Jordyn Poulter, Aurora (volleyball)
- Haleigh Washington, Colorado Springs (volleyball)
- Adeline Gray, Denver (wrestling)
- G’Angelo Hancock, Fountain (wrestling)
Editor's note: We have updated this list to reflect changes made by the U.S. Olympic Committee to their own list. Olympians are asked to self-identify by hometown, which is what this list is based on. Note that this could be different from their birthplace, where they grew up, or where they currently reside.
