SEATTLE — Dozens of local athletes and coaches with ties to western Washington are traveling to Paris, France, to compete in the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Here is a round-up of names to watch out for and cheer on at home.
Track and Field, women’s steeplechase
Hometown: Pasco
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First-time Olympian Marisa Howard, 31, is set to compete in the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase in Paris. She ran her personal best time of 9:07.14 in the race at last month’s U.S. Olympic Team Track and Field Trials in Eugene, Oregon. In November 2023, she won a silver medal at the Pan American Games in Santiago de Chile in the 3,000 meters.
The steeplechase is scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 4 with the final held Tuesday, Aug. 6.
Men’s Swimming, 4x100-meter freestyle relay
Hometown: Seattle
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Matt King, 22, is making his Olympics debut in the men’s 400-meter freestyle relay, narrowly missing the chance to compete in an individual race. At the Olympic Team Trials in Indianapolis, King finished sixth with a time of 47.94 in the 100 freestyle – just .01 seconds away from his personal best time earned in 2023. He finished third in the 50 freestyle, and the top two swimmers qualified for the Olympics.
The men's 400-meter freestyle relay final is Saturday, July 27.
3x3 Basketball
Hometown: Cashmere
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Hailey Van Lith, 22, will go for gold on the U.S. 3x3 basketball team. Van Lith was part of the squad that earned the U.S. a gold medal at the 2023 FIBA World Cup. She transferred to TCU earlier this year. Will be playing alongside Cierra Burdick, Dearica Hamby and Rhyne Howard.
The first 3x3 game is against Germany on Tuesday, July 30.
Canoe Sprint 200 meters
Hometown: Seattle
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Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Nevin Harrison, 22, is returning to the global stage. The Canoe Sprint 200-meter race debuted at the 2020 Olympics, making Harrison the first woman to ever win gold in the event and bringing the U.S. its first win in 33 years.
Qualifying heats for the 200-meter single Canoe Sprint begin Tuesday, Aug. 6.
Gymnastics
Hometown: Vancouver, Wash.
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All eyes will be on the U.S. women’s gymnastics team, featuring the return of several athletes including Simone Biles and Washington gymnast Jordan Chiles. Chiles, 23, earned silver in the team event at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and was a world champion in 2022, along with earning a silver medal in both the vault and floor exercise events.
Women's gymnastics begins Saturday, July 27.
Artistic Swimming
Hometown: Seattle
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Kwon will be one of two local athletes competing in artistic swimming, formerly known as synchronized swimming. It is the first time Team USA will feature an artistic swimming team in the Olympics since 2008. Kwon helped the U.S. place second in the technical team and third on the acrobatic team in the 2023 Canada World Cup.
Artistic Swimming will begin Monday, August 5.
Canoe Sprint, 500 meters
Hometown: Seattle
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Small is a former Washington Husky who grew up in Seattle and will be in K2, a sprint kayak event, alongside his former UW teammate and Bellingham product Jonas Ecker. Small first trained in the sport at the Seattle Canoe and Kayak Club on Green Lake.
The Canoe Sprint events will begin Tuesday, Aug. 6.
Equestrian
Hometown: Coupeville
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Lyle competed previously in the 2012 and 2020 Olympic Games in Dressage and won a silver medal in Tokyo in the team event. Lyle, who grew up on Whidbey Island, will be riding Helix for the first time in an Olympic Games.
The Dressage competition will begin in Paris on Saturday, July 27.
Track and Field, 400-meter hurdles
Hometown: Bremerton
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Allen went to college at Washington State University after attending North Mason High School in Belfair and will be making his Olympics debut in the 400-meter hurdles in Paris. Allen finished second in the U.S. Olympic Trials last month in Eugene, Ore. to punch his ticket to the Olympics.
The men's 400-meter hurdles competition will begin Monday, Aug. 5.
Basketball, Team Japan
Hometown: Shoreline
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Hawkinson grew up in western Washington and played collegiately at Washington State before ultimately finding his way to a professional basketball career in Japan. Eventually, Hawkinson was naturalized as a citizen and will be part of Japan's men's basketball team in the Paris Olympics.
Japan's first game in the men's basketball competition will be Saturday, July 27.