Seven UKTF Athletes to Compete at Paris Olympic Games

PARIS, France – Kentucky Track and Field will be well represented at the Olympic Games once again, as seven representatives of the program will compete in Paris over the next week. Alumni Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, Andrew Evans, Alexis Holmes, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Daniel Roberts, and Masai Russell will be joined by current Volunteer Assistant Coach, and Purdue Alum, Devynne Charlton as they compete for glory on sport’s grandest stage. Additionally, Kentucky alum Ashley (Muffet) Kovacs will represent Team USA as the Women’s Throws coach.

Athletics (Track and Field) competition at the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad will commence on August 1 and run through August 11. The majority of competition, including all events contested by UKTF representatives, will be held at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, just outside of Paris. Race Walk and Marathon competitions will feature courses around the city.

Kentucky Track and Field is coming off of a historic medal haul at the Tokyo 2020 games that saw representatives of the program earn five medals, including three golds. Both of Kentucky’s gold medalists from Tokyo, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, return to the Olympic stage to defend their titles.

Daniel Roberts (UK 2017-2019) will be the first Wildcat to take the track, competing in his second Olympics in the 110m hurdles. Rounds are set to begin on August 4 and run through August 8. In his first Olympic appearance in Tokyo, Roberts advanced to the semifinals before missing the final by one spot. At Kentucky, Roberts put together a terrific final season that saw the Hampton, Ga. native win the 2019 SEC title in the 110mH, claim a pair of NCAA silver medals in the 60mH and 110mH, and claim the first of three USATF titles. Roberts has since gone on to win the 2021 and 2023 USATF national championship in the 110mH and feature at two world championships, earning the bronze medal in 2023.

Next on the track, looking to defend her gold medal from Tokyo, will be Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (UK 2018). The World Record holder in the 400m hurdles, McLaughlin-Levrone will feature in her signature event from August 4-August 8. The Dunellen, N.J. native has bettered the World Record four times in her career, most recently in her gold medal run at the 2024 US Olympic Team Trials. A three-time Olympians, McLaughlin reached the semifinals at Rio 2016 as a 16-year-old before taking her first Olympic gold in Tokyo. In 2018, her only collegiate season, McLaughlin set a still-standing collegiate record in the 400mH, while also claiming gold at the SEC and NCAA championships.

Alexis Holmes (UK 2019-2022) will open her Games with the 400m, set to be contested from August 5-9.  A first-time Olympian, Holmes qualified for Team USA after earning the bronze medal at the 2024 US Olympic Team Trials in the 400m. The Hamden, Conn. native could also feature in the Women’s 4x400m Relay to be held from August 9-10. As a Wildcat, Holmes set the collegiate record and won a national championship in the Women’s 4x400m Relay and won three SEC titles. She also holds a World Record and World Championship in the Mixed 4x400m Relay, set in 2023.

Kentucky’s lone field athlete representative, Andrew Evans (UK 2012-2014), will kick off his second Olympic appearance on August 5, competing in the Discus Throw. Evans, who also competed at the Rio Olympics, claimed victory at the 2024 US Olympic Team Trials for his second national championship. At Kentucky, he claimed two SEC titles in the discus throw while also earning a bronze medal at the 2014 NCAA Championships.

The final group of Wildcats to take to the track will be Kentucky’s trio of entries in the 100m hurdles. Defending Olympic Gold Medalist, and Olympic Record holder, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (UK 2016-2018) is set to defend her title alongside 2024 US Olympic Trials Champion Masai Russell (UK 2018-2023), and 60m hurdles World Record holder Devynne Charlton (Volunteer Assistant Coach/Purdue Alum). The four rounds of competition are set to take place from August 7-August 10.

Camacho-Quinn, who competes for Puerto Rico, has already featured a memorable start to her third Olympic Games, bearing the flag for her country at the Opening Ceremonies. Camacho-Quinn advanced to the semifinals at her first Games in Rio before taking Gold in Tokyo, much like McLaughlin-Levrone. She is also a two-time World Championships medalist, earning silver in 2023 and bronze in 2022. As a Wildcat, Camacho-Quinn had a dominant career, winning three NCAA championships (2016, 2018 – 100mH; 2017 – 4x100m) and six SEC titles (2016-18 – 100mH, 2017-18- 60mH, 2018 – 4x400m).

Russell enters the Olympics as the fastest woman in 2024 in the 100m hurdles, setting the top mark with a 12.25 performance that is also the fourth fastest in history. Her time gave her the win at the 2024 US Olympic Team Trials, qualifying her to her first Games. Russell, the collegiate record holder in the 100m hurdles, closed out a storied Kentucky career as an 11-time All-American and four-time NCAA silver medalist (2023 – 60mH, 100mH, 400mH, 4x100m). The Potomac, Md. native also claimed an SEC championship in the 60mH.

Charlton, a volunteer assistant coach within the program, competed at Purdue under current Kentucky head coach Lonnie Greene. This marks her second Olympic appearance after a sixth-place finish in her debut Games in Tokyo. Charlton currently holds the World Record in the 60m hurdles, setting the mark on her way to the 2024 World Indoor title in that event. The Bahamian has competed at four world championships, most recently finishing in fourth in 2023. She also holds a Commonwealth Games silver medal from 2022.

In addition to the seven athletes competing, a former UKTF athlete, Ashley (Muffet) Kovacs (UK 2007-2010), will feature in Paris as the Women’s Throws coach for Team USA. She coaches her husband, two-time World Champion and two-time Olympic silver medalist, Joe Kovacs, and was a two-time SEC Champion and four-time All-American in her own right while competing at Kentucky.

A full event schedule for Kentucky athletes is listed below.

Event Schedule

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