Boston – For the 38th consecutive Olympic Games (19 Summer and 19 Winter) since 1952, Boston University will have athletes representing the country, with women's swimming/diving player Julimar Avila (Sargent '19) and field hockey player Allie Hamel (Sargent '19) scheduled to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Fans are encouraged to check this page throughout the tournament for links and the latest information on Olympians.
At the Olympics (history)
- Boston University students won a total of 42 medals, with Thomas Burke (LAW'1897) becoming the first athlete to reach the podium at the first modern Olympic Games in Athens in 1896, when he won gold medals in both the 100 and 400 meters for the United States.
- This will be the third time the city of Paris has hosted the Summer Olympics. Although Boston University did not send a representative to the Olympics in 1900 and 1924, the school did win a medal at the last Summer Olympics held in Europe, when men's rowing alumnus Florian Mennigen (CAS'06) won gold in the German eight-man rowing team at the 2012 London Olympics.
- Avila and Hamel will be aiming to become the first Terrier athletes to win medals in their respective events.
Julimar Avila – Honduras (Swimming: 200m Freestyle)
A native of Hyde Park, Massachusetts, Avila is a dual U.S. and Honduran citizen. Both of her parents were born in Honduras, and she has three older siblings. Avila was a Boston University team captain and a three-time All-Conference recipient for the Terriers. In 2019, she was named a first-team member at the Patriot League Championships after earning points in the 50m freestyle, 100m butterfly, 200m butterfly and 400m freestyle relay. At the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, she advanced to the semifinals in the 200m butterfly, making this her second Olympic appearance.
Event schedule
Sunday, July 28
Women's 200m Freestyle – Heat 3 // 6:08 AM ET
NBCOlympics.com viewing link
2021 Media Coverage
GoTerriers.com – The Birth of an Olympian
Boston Globe – Avila dove into Walden Pond during her journey to swim for Honduras in the Olympics.
Boston Herald – From Weston to Boston University to Japan: Avila pursues Olympic glory
Weston Town Crier – Avila's Olympic journey embodies teamwork and the spirit of the game
Ali Hamel – USA (Field Hockey)
Allie Hamel, the only two-time first-team All-American in Boston University history, will become the second player from the Boston University field hockey team to represent her country at the Olympics, joining Ella Gunson, who represented New Zealand in 2012 and 2021. A native of Duxbury, Massachusetts, Hamel helped the Golden Eagles qualify for the Olympics with a runner-up finish at the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifier in January of this year. The team officially qualified for Paris with a win against Japan in the semifinals.
Event schedule
July 27 (Saturday)
Pool B vs. Argentina // 1:45 p.m.
NBCOlympics.com viewing link (TV: CNBC)
Monday, July 29
Pool B vs. Spain // 7:15 AM
NBCOlympics.com viewing link
Wednesday, July 31
Pool B vs. Australia // 7:15 AM
NBCOlympics.com viewing link
Thursday, August 1
Pool B vs. Great Britain // 11am
NBCOlympics.com viewing link
Saturday, August 3
Pool B vs. South Africa // 7:15 AM
NBCOlympics.com viewing link
Media coverage
BU Today: From Comme Avenue to Paris – Hamel's Journey to the Olympics
NESN: Interview with Hamel
Boston Globe: U.S. field hockey returns to Olympics thanks to Duxbury's Allie Hamel and others
USAFieldHockey.com: Meet Allie Hamel
