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Next stop for Ohio State Olympians? Tokyo

A record 26 Buckeyes are headed to the 2021 Summer Olympics
Next stop, Tokyo

There are plenty of reasons to tune into the Olympics, right? For Ohio State fans, there’s 26 more.  

That’s right, 26 former, current or incoming Ohio State student-athletes qualified for the Tokyo Olympics, which are July 23 through August 8.  

To get you ready for this historic representation, we’ve put together a guide to the upcoming Summer Olympics, scarlet-and-gray style. 

By the numbers: 

26: As mentioned, 26 former, current or incoming Ohio State student-athletes qualified. The previous best was 19 in the 2008 Beijing Olympics followed by 16 in both the 1952 and 2016 games (Helsinki and Rio) with 15 in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. 

9: Current Ohio State student-athletes are competing: Adelaide Aquilla and Anavia Battle (U.S., track and field), Hunter Armstrong (U.S., swimming), Henry Leverett and Jackson Leverett (U.S., pistol), Diego Cervantes (Mexico, fencing), Eric Harrison (Trinidad and Tobago, sprinting), Ruslan Gaziev (Canada, swimming), Alessandra Montesano (Italy, rower).  

13: Former Buckeyes will compete: Christina Clemons (U.S., track and field), Kyle Snyder (U.S., wrestling), Alec Yoder (U.S., gymnastics), Marc-Antoine Blais Belanger (Canada, fencing), Alanna Goldie and Eleanor Harvey (Canada, fencing), Nichelle Prince (Canada, soccer), Elodie Ravera (France, rowing), Ilse Paulis (Netherlands, rowing), Misha Koudinov (New Zealand, gymnastics), Maggie Barrie (Sierra Leone, track and field), Aina Cid Centelles (Spain, rowing), Matthew Abeysinghe (Sri Lanka, swimming).  

4: Incoming freshmen or newcomers to Ohio State include Ruby Remanta (U.S., synchronized swimming), Emily Armstrong (Canada, synchronized swimming), Anneta and Maria Kyridou (Greece, rowing).  

12: Buckeyes will represent 12 countries. The most will be competing for the U.S. with nine followed by Canada’s six. 

9 (Part II): Ohio State will be represented in nine sports, including six in women’s rowing, five in track and field and four in fencing.  

65: Hunter Armstrong, a rising junior, is the first Ohio State male swimmer to make the U.S. Olympic team in 65 years. In 1956, the Melbourne, Australia, games had four Ohio State swimmers compete for the U.S.  

8: Former or current Buckeyes also won NCAA championships. Adelaide won the indoor and outdoor titles earlier this year. Harvey (2016) and Blais Belanger (2018) each won fencing titles. Clemons was a two-time hurdles champion (2012). Snyder won three NCAA wrestling championships (2016-18). Centelles was on three championship rowing teams (2013-15) while Ramera was on the 2014 team. Yoder was a pommel horse NCAA champion in 2019.

Notable 

Cool Ranch Clemons: While qualifying in the 100 hurdles, Clemons – one of the greatest runners in Ohio State history – was caught wearing Cool Ranch Doritos earrings. After the race, Frito Lay sent her a custom bag.  

Defending the crown: In 2016, Snyder became the youngest man in U.S. history to win a gold medal when he won the 97 kg freestyle tournament.  

Triple threat: This is the first time Ohio State has had two or more women qualify for track and field with Aquilla, Battle and Clemons. 

Sibling act: Two sets of Ohio State siblings will be at the games. The Leverett brothers in pistol and the Kyridou sisters in rowing.  

Quotable 

“When I first started coaching guys, I had a couple that I feel were tripped out by it. And I was just like, 'Listen, when you throw farther than I did, then you can stop listening to me. But until then, let's just stay on the same page,” said Ohio State throws coach Ashley Kovacs in a 2019 article. She coaches Aquilla and her husband, Joe Kovacs, also a shot putter for the U.S. Olympic team.  

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