Who are the Colorado Olympic Champions? The 2024 Paris Summer Olympics are officially in the books as the world looks ahead to Los Angeles 2028. With 126 medals, including 40 gold, the United States once again dominated the games as the overall winner for the fourth straight year and the sixth time since 2000.
Among the athletes who made their mark on the global stage and who helped the US bring home a haul of gold medals were eight individuals from Colorado.
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Who Are The Colorado Olympic Champions?
A breeding ground for athletes with its vibrant sports culture, over three dozen athletes either by way of birth or who reside in The Centennial State, made the trip overseas to participate in the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad through twelve different sports and twenty-eight disciplines.
While they did not come away with the gold medal, credit must be given to Haley Batten and Taylor Knibb (Cycling), Brooke Raboutou (Boulder/Rock Climbing), Jordyn Poulter and Haleigh Washington (Volleyball), Rajeev Ram (Doubles Tennis) for capturing silver medals.
Valarie Allman – Track & Field
A graduate of Silver Creek High School in Longmont, Colorado, Allman went on to have an award-winning collegiate career at Stanford University where she became a seven-time All-American while competing for the Cardinal. In 2021, Allman competed in her first Olympic Games in Tokyo, winning the gold medal in the discus throw with a throw of 68.98m, over two meters further than her closest competitor.
While her performance in Paris did not match that of Tokyo, throwing just 69.5m, Allman did etch her name in the Olympic record books with a blend of technical skill and explosive power, fending off China’s Feng Bin and Croatia’s Sandra Elkasevic, becoming the first American woman to two golds in a field event.
Mallory Swanson, Lindsey Horan, Sophia Smith – Soccer
Over the past eight Olympic games, the United States Women’s Team has dominated the podium when it comes to soccer (football). After being knocked out of the medal contention in 2016 by Sweden, and claiming a bronze medal in Tokyo, the US Women’s team captured their fifth gold medal with a 1-0 victory over Brazil.
On a roster featuring a mix of experienced players and young talent, the US Women’s team ran the gauntlet, going undefeated from start to finish. Swanson (Highlands Ranch), playing in her second Olympic Games, would have the team’s biggest moment of the tournament, scoring the only goal in the gold medal game. A forward with 38 career international goals, Swanson became the youngest member of a US team to score a goal when she played in the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Named the team’s captain, this would be Horan’s (Golden) third Olympic appearance and 156th game with the senior team. As the youngest member of the Colorado trio, this would be Smith’s (Windsor) first trip to the Olympics. Despite her young age, Smith’s resume is impressive, earning the US Female Soccer Player of the Year award in 2022 along with the NWSL MVP and NWSL Championship MVP.
Derrick White – Basketball
Had it not been for a lingering injury to Kawhi Leonard, Derrick White may have been lounging on a beach or putting up shots in a summer pickup run rather than helping the “Avengers” claim their fifth straight gold medal. Following a disappointing finish in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, the US Olympic program looked to re-establish its dominance on the global stage.
After helping the Boston Celtics capture their NBA-leading eighteenth championship and his second consecutive All-Defensive Team award, White was awarded with a 4 year / $125.9 million extension. Joining Celtics teammates Jayson Tatum and Jrue Holiday on Team USA, White was seen as a defensive specialist.
Averaging nearly fifteen minutes off of the bench for the national team during the five games leading up to the finale, the Parker, Colorado native had a front-row seat for the gold medal game. USA managed to comeback against Nikola Jokic’s Serbia in the semifinal, clinching the gold against France in the final.
Sarah Hildebrandt – Freestyle Wrestling
Preparing for and competing in a gold medal event is hard enough as it is, but then when a monkey wrench gets thrown into the mix, it makes it even that much more challenging…and rewarding.
Competing in the 50-kilogram category, the Colorado Springs resident was scheduled to battle Vinesh Phogat from India, but Phogat would ultimately be disqualified for not making weight (it would later be reported that Phogat, who missed the weight by 100 grams, would have all of her 2024 Olympic victories nullified).
Thinking that she had been awarded the gold medal, Hildebrant and her team began to plan a celebration. Less than an hour later, the Olympic Committee informed Hildebrant that she would be wrestling a replacement.
Cuban wrestler, Yusneylis Guzman Lopez, who lost to Phogat in the semifinals would be granted a spot in the gold medal match. After winning the bronze medal in Tokyo, Hildebrant entered the Paris Olympics winning a pair of gold medals at the Pan American Wrestling Championships and bronze medals at the World Championships.
