By Jack Walker
The 2024 Paris Olympics begins Friday, July 26, with the traditional torch relay to mark the start of the event. It’s estimated over 10,500 athletes will be participating in this year’s Olympics. The United States has 592 athletes competing this year with 13 of them being from Michigan.
Here is a look at the 13 Michigan athletes representing the United States.
Heath Baldwin – Track and Field
Baldwin, 23, of Kalamazoo, is a graduate of Michigan State University. Baldwin achieved several accomplishments in his career at MSU, including MSU Athletics Male Athlete of the year in 2023, as well as National Collegiate Athletic Association Indoor First Team All-American and NCAA Outdoor First Team All-American.
Devin Booker – Basketball
Perhaps the most well-known name on the list, Booker, 27, hails from Grand Rapids and is a one-time Gold Medal Recipient from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Booker attended Grandville High School before moving to Mississippi to further pursue his career. The USA Basketball team has already played five scrimmage games against various other countries, with Booker getting a heavy dosage of minutes in every game. Booker will be a main piece for the squad going forward, as the team looks to earn yet another Gold Medal.
Adam Coon – Wrestling
Coon, 29, of Fowlerville, is not only an accomplished wrestler but is also accomplished in track and field and football. Coon was a three-time All-American wrestler at the University of Michigan, and a two-time NCAA finalist. Coon also won Gold at the 2019 Pan American Championships in Buenos Aires. However, in his post-wrestling collegiate career, Coon went back to his high school days and went to the gridiron, signing with the Tennessee Titans practice squad in 2021 and playing with the Extreme Football League’s Seattle Sea Dragons most recently in 2023. But for Paris, Coon will be back to wrestling.
Aaron Cummings – Rugby
Cummings, 27, of Muskegon, is a professional rugby player for the Chicago Lions. Cummings attended Grand Haven High School and is a graduate of Davenport University, where he started to catch the attention of the Olympic Team. Cummings professionally debuted in Malaga, Spain in 2022 and was named to the Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022 squad in Cape Town, South Africa, Cummings has been on the roster ever since. On Thursday, Cummings along with the rest of the USA Rugby team were leading the rugby sevens with their victory over Uruguay early Thursday morning.
Andrew Evans – Track and Field
Evans, 33, of Portage, has participated in the Olympics before, that being the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Evans is a discus thrower and was a First Team All-American at the University of Kentucky in 2012, along with First Team All-SEC in 2012, and Second Team All-SEC in 2013. Most recently in the NACAC Championships in 2022, Evans finished fourth place.
Grant Fisher – Track and Field
Born in Canada but growing up in Grand Blanc, Fisher, 27, has previously represented the United States in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Fisher is a record-holder sprinter, breaking the American indoor record for two miles with a time of 8:03.62. Fisher is among the most decorated sprinters the U.S have to offer, dominating much of his college career and professional career. Fisher finished first in the U.S. Olympic Trials earlier this year in Eugene, Oregon.
Zach Hammer – Climbing
Just 18 years old from Ann Arbor, Hammer is the youngest athlete representing the state. Hammer started climbing at age 3, and began competing at the Youth National Championships at age 9. Hammer was able to qualify for the Olympics at the qualifying series in Budapest, Hungary.
Hobbs Kessler – Track and Field
Kessler, 21, from Ann Arbor, is a middle-distance runner for Adidas. Kessler owns the North American U20 record in the 1500 meters, with a time of 3:34.36. In October of 2023, Kessler broke the one-mile road record, with a time of 3:56.13 in Riga, Latvia, at the World Road Running Championships. Kessler placed third at the Olympic trials, with a personal best record, qualifying him for the Olympics.
Sorin Koszyk – Rowing
Koszyk, 26, is a graduate of Cornell University and a professional Rower. Koszyk was introduced to rowing only in his freshman year of high school but has now worked his way up to the Olympic level. Koszyk has World Championships experience, with his most recent finish being 13th in the Double Sculls. Koszyk has been on the National team for three years straight, and it’s easy to see why as he finished first in the World Rowing Final Olympic & Paralympic Qualification Regatta.
Alena Olsen – Rugby
Olsen, 28, from Caledonia, attended the University of Michigan and only started playing Rugby at age 18. At U of M, Olsen earned All-American honors twice and was on the Collegiate Rugby Championship Dream Team twice. Olsen debuted for the U.S. in 2019 and was a part of the 2022 Rugby World Cup team.
Hannah Roberts – Cycling
Born in South Bend, Indiana and growing up in Buchanan, Roberts is a BMX freestyle cyclist. Roberts is a five-time World Champion at the UCI Urban Cycling World Championships and earned a Silver Medal at the Tokyo 2020. Roberts has accomplished all these feats at just the age of 22. Roberts was one of the favorites to win Gold for the BMX freestyle at the 2020 Olympics, and it would not be a surprise if she brought home a gold medal this time around.
Grace Stark – Track and Field
Stark, 23, from White Lake, is a hurdler who attended the University of Florida. In high school, Stark was clocked running the fast time recorded by a Michigan High Schooler in hurdles. Stark was the winner of the NCAA indoor 60m Hurdles in 2022, setting a personal best record of 7.78 in the finals. Stark qualified for the Olympics last month with a personal best time of 12.31 seconds in the 100m hurdles race.
Abby Tamer – Field Hockey
Tamer, 21, from Dexter, attends the University of Michigan where she played in 20 games in 2022, starting 19 of them, taking home National Field Hockey Coaches Association All-West Region honors and finishing second on the team in scoring. Tamer redshirted her junior year to help the USA field hockey team qualify for the olympics, finishing with a silver medal in the qualifiers. Tamer was also a member of the gold medal-winning team at the 2023 Pan American Junior Championship.
