Meet the HBCU athletes competing for a spot at the Paris Olympics

Courtesy of Howard University Athletics

WASHINGTON – With the 2024 Paris Olympics more than a month away, several current and former Howard University HBCU standouts are looking to punch their tickets to the hottest summer sporting event of the year.

Over the next few weeks, more than a dozen bison across three countries and two continents will compete for the right to become an Olympian.

RACETRACK

Four Bison are scheduled to compete in the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials (June 21-30), hosted at historic Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, led by two-time All-American Jessica Wright (Durham, North Carolina).

Wright, one of the most decorated Bisons in program history, made a name for herself in the long hurdles and was a member of the 4×400 relay team. Currently, she remains the school’s 400 meter hurdles record holder (55.81).

Recent graduate Dylan Beard (Baltimore) is looking to get into the record books after winning the 2024 Millrose Games with a 7.44 in the 110-meter hurdles. The Baltimore product finished his HBCU career as a three-time first-team All-MEAC selection.

Noah Langford (Portsmouth, Virginia) and Simone Watkins (Frisco, Texas) return to Eugene after successful runs at the 2024 NCAA Championships. Both Bison are looking to make Team USA after earning honorable mention All-American honors in the 400 meters hurdles.

On the other side of the Atlantic, new All-American Samuel Bennett (Langdon Hills, United Kingdom) is considering a trip to Paris after qualifying for the British Championships (June 29-30). He is looking to represent his country in the short hurdles (110 meters).

Otto Laing (Freeport, Bahamas) and Adam Musgrove (Nassau, Bahamas) finished their first season as a Bison, earning Second Team All-MEAC and reaching the first round of the NCAA East in Lexington, Kentucky. Both Bison are looking to earn a spot on the Bahamas team. National team (June 26-28).

SWIMMING AND DIVING

In swimming pools, trials are underway all over the world, including in the United States.

On Thursday, June 20, recent graduate Miles Simon (Atlanta) is scheduled to compete in the U.S. Olympic Trials, taking another crack at the 50-yard freestyle. In 2021, the Northeast Conference (NEC) champion came up short, but his breakthrough performance opened the door for future Bison and other swimmers looking to compete in the College and University Summer Games. a historically black university (HBCU).

In the Bahamas (June 15-23), five Bisons try to be part of the national team while earning their ticket to Paris.

The Thompson family, consisting of Luke Kennedy Thompson (Nassau, Bahamas), Gerald Thompson III (Nassau, Bahamas), Mark-Anthony Thompson (Nassau, Bahamas) and Zaylie-Elizabeth Thompson (Nassau, Bahamas), looking to make a splash while having dual citizenship Tristan Stevens (Chicago, IL) is looking to reserve a spot for next month.

PARIS 2024 OLYMPIC GAMES

The 2024 Paris Olympics are scheduled for July 26 to August 11 in Paris, France.

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Meet the HBCU athletes competing for a spot at the Paris Olympics