Thunderbirds Shine at Paris 2024 Olympic Games

VANCOUVER – As the Paris 2024 Olympic Games conclude, UBC celebrates the achievements of its 33 athletes past and present who represented their countries on the international stage. Five of these T-Birds earned medals at the games, contributing to the 27 won by Team Canada (nine gold, seven silver, and 11 bronze), a record number for Canada in non-boycotted Olympic history.
 
Among those leaving Paris as Olympic medalists are UBC rugby’s Piper Logan and Florence Symonds. The duo played pivotal roles on Canada’s women’s rugby sevens team, securing a silver medal after defeating both the host nation France and rugby powerhouse Australia. Logan led the team in points with 20 from five tries, helping Canada achieve its best-ever Olympic sevens result.

 
Former UBC coxswain Kristen Kit and rowers Kristina Walker and Jessica Sevick also made the podium with a thrilling silver medal performance in the women’s eight rowing event. The Canadian boat was able to hold off Great Britain to secure the second-place finish by a margin of just 0.67 seconds. This marks Kit’s second medal in this event, having previously claimed gold in Tokyo.
 
Paris La Defense Arena saw seven UBC swimmers compete, five representing Canada, one for the Philippines, and one Hong Kong. Incoming T-Bird Finlay Knox impressed with an 8th place finish in the 200m individual medley and played a key role in three relay events, helping Canada to two fifth and one sixth place finishes. Alum Ingrid Wilm also saw individual success in the pool, placing sixth in the women’s 100m backstroke.

 
Noteworthy performances in the pool also included Emma O’Croinin, who swam in the women’s 4x200m freestyle relay heats and helped Canada qualify for the final, where they finished just outside the podium in fourth. Blake Tierney advanced to the semifinals of the 100m backstroke in his Olympic debut.
 
In athletics, UBC alum Rowan Hamilton achieved a top ten finish in the men’s hammer throw. Hamilton set a personal best with a throw of 77.78m to qualify first in his group and ultimately placed 8th.

 
Evan Dunfee, Tokyo 2021 50k race walk bronze medalist, secured an impressive fifth-place finish in the 20k race walk. Dunfee also competed in the inaugural Olympic mixed marathon race walk relay with current UBC track star Olivia Lundman, where they crossed the line 20th.

 
In men’s volleyball, UBC head coach Mike Hawkins and alumnus Fynn McCarthy represented Canada, while former UBC runner Kieran Lumb competed in the men’s 1500m.
 
With these accomplishments, UBC adds five more medals to its storied Olympic history, now totaling 66 medals since the first in 1932. The Thunderbirds will continue to be represented at the 2024 Paralympic Games, starting August 28th to September 8th, with Travis Murao, Trevor Hirschfield, and Byron Green named to Canada’s men’s wheelchair rugby squad.
 
Congratulations to all current Thunderbirds student-athletes and alumni, coaches and staff for their exceptional performances and inspiring achievements at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games!
 
UBC athletes at Paris 2024
Olivia Lundman – Women’s Track & Field
Evan Dunfee – Men’s Track & Field
Blake Tierney – Men’s Swimming
Emma O’Croinin – Women’s Swimming
Ingrid Wilm – Women’s Swimming
Yuri Kisil – Men’s Swimming
Finlay Knox – Men’s Swimming
Kristen Kit – Women’s Rowing
Kristina Walker – Women’s Rowing
Jessica Sevick – Women’s Rowing
Rowan Hamilton – Men’s Track & Field
Kieran Lumb – Men’s Track & Field
Travis Murao – Men’s Wheelchair Rugby
Trevor Hirschfield – Men’s Wheelchair Rugby
Byron Green – Men’s Wheelchair Rugby
Fynn McCarthy – Men’s Volleyball
Karen Tam – Women’s Swimming (Representing Hong Kong)
Kayla Sanchez – Women’s Swimming (Representing Philippines)
Piper Logan – Women’s Rugby 7s
Florence Symonds – Women’s Rugby 7s
Abigail Raye – Women’s Field Hockey (Representing Belgium)
Rob Shaw – Wheelchair Tennis

UBC staff and alumni at Paris 2024
Mike Hawkins – Assistant Coach (Men’s Volleyball)
Mallory White – Lead Therapist (Women’s Soccer)
Joe Vecchione – Sports Science Support (Women’s Soccer)
Kerry MacDonald – Team Leader (Women’s Beach Volleyball)
Nicole Sullivan – Team Physiotherapist (Women’s Beach Volleyball)
Kate Wright (Gillis) – Assistant Coach (South African Women’s Field Hockey) 
Sam Pritchard – Performance Analysis, Technology Specialist
Dana Sinclair – Performance Psychologist (Beach Volleyball and Skateboard)
Rich Lam – Paris 2024 Senior Project Manager, Photo Operations
Claire Hanna – CBC Broadcaster
Tricia Smith – COC President