by S. Derby Gisclair
Louisiana has sent scores of athletes to the Olympics in every sport from baseball to figure skating. They travel to the games from small towns and big cities in every part of the state, returning to their hometowns to share the glory of victory and the pain of defeat. Some remain in the spotlight through college or professional sports, while others fade from public view. As the world prepares for the 2016 Olympics in Rio, we look back at Louisiana’s medalists since the 1932 games.
See the interactive map below to find all the athletes who represented our state on the world’s largest stage.
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CADDO PARISH
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Evelyn Ashford, Track & Field - sprinter:
1976 Summer Olympics, Montreal, Canada.
1984 Summer Olympics, Los Angeles, California, USA - gold (2)
1988 Summer Olympics, Seoul, South Korea - gold (1), silver (1)
1992 Summer Olympics, Barcelona, Spain - gold (1)
Cathy Clark (Centenary College), Gymnastics - trampoline:
1980 Summer Olympics, Moscow, Russia.
1984 Summer Olympics, Los Angeles, California - silver (1), bronze (1)
Hollis Conway, Track & Field - high jump:
1988 Summer Olympics, Seoul, South Korea - silver (1)
1992 Summer Olympics, Barcelona, Spain - bronze (1)
Jerry Shipp, Basketball:
1964 Summer Olympics, Tokyo, Japan - gold (1)
Additional Olympic participants include:
LaMark Carter, Track & Field - triple jump: Summer 2000, Sydney, Australia.
Tim Dement, Boxing - flyweight: Summer 1972, Munich, Germany.
Billy Hardin, Track & Field - hurdles: Summer 1964, Tokyo, Japan.
William Harding, Shooting: Summer 1932, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Ryan Harrison, Tennis: Summer 2012, London, England.
Marie Mijalis, Canoeing - kayak: Summer 2004, Athens, Greece.
Diana Pickler, Track & Field - heptathlon: Summer 2008, Beijing, China.
ORLEANS PARISH
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Stan Cwiklinski, Rowing:
1964 Summer Olympics, Tokyo, Japan - gold (1)
Clyde Drexler, Basketball:
1992 Summer Olympics, Barcelona, Spain - gold (1)
William Dudley, Swimming - relay:
1948 Summer Olympics, London, England - gold (1)
Jane Fauntz, Diving:
1928 Summer Olympics, Amsterdam, Holland.
1932 Summer Olympics, Los Angeles, California, USA - bronze (1)
Eddie Flynn (Loyola), Boxing - welterweight:
1932 Summer Olympics, Los Angeles, California, USA - gold (1)
Shelby Friedrichs, Sailing:
1968 Summer Olympics, Mexico City, Mexico - gold (1)
Tom Hill, Track & Field - hurdles:
1972 Summer Olympics, Munich, Germany - bronze (1)
Barton Jahncke, Sailing:
1968 Summer Olympics, Mexico City, Mexico - gold (1)
Pam Jiles, Track & Field - sprinter:
1976 Summer Olympics, Montreal, Canada - silver (1)
Jim King, Basketball:
1968 Summer Olympics, Mexico City, Mexico - gold (1)
Andrew Libano, Sailing:
1932 Summer Olympics, Los Angeles, California, USA - gold (1)
John Lovell, Sailing:
1996 Summer Olympics, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
2000 Summer Olympics, Sydney, Australia.
2004 Summer Olympics, Athens, Greece - Silver (1)
2008 Summer Olympics, Beijing, China.
Audrey Patterson, Track & Field - sprinter:
1948 Summer Olympics, London, England - bronze (1)
Joseph Ravanack, Rowing:
1904 Summer Olympics, St. Louis, Missouri, USA - bronze (1)
Emmett Toppino, Track & Field - sprinter:
1932 Summer Olympics, Los Angeles, California, USA - gold (1)
Additional Olympic participants include:
Roland Blackman, Track & Field - sprinter: Summer 1952, Helsinki, Finland.
Walter Blattmann, Gymnastics - all around: Summer 1952, Helsinki, Finland.
Lloyd Bourgeois, Track & Field ‐ triple jump: Summer 1928, Amsterdam, Holland.
Jessica Cross, Track & Field - shot put/hammer: Summer 2000, Sydney, Australia.
Edward Curtis, Track & Field - 1,500 meters: Summer 1920, Antwerp, Belgium.
John Dane III, Sailing: Summer 2008, Beijing, China.
Sheryl Franks, Figure Skating - pairs: Winter 1980, Lake Placid, New York, USA.
Sid Freudenstein, Gymnastics - all around: Summer 1968, Mexico City, Mexico.
Chelsea Hayes, Track & Field - long jump: Summer 2012, London, England.
Danny Killeen, Sailing: Summer 1956, Melbourne, Australia.
Claude Kohler, Sailing: Summer 1960, Rome, Italy.
Buck Levy, Skiing - cross country: Winter 1956, Cortina, Italy.
Allen McClure, Sailing: Summer 1960, Rome, Italy.
George Queyrouze, Track & Field - sprinter: Summer 1906, Athens, Greece.
Lou Riecke, Weightlifting: Summer 1964, Tokyo, Japan.
David Sheldon, Baseball: Summer 2000, Sydney, Australia.
Scott Spann, Swimming: Summer 2008, Beijing, China.
Sam Termine, Weightlifting: Summer 1932, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Gene Walet, Jr., Sailing: Summer 1956, Melbourne, Australia.
Gene Walet III, Sailing: Summer 1956, Melbourne, Australia; Summer 1960, Rome, Italy.
LINCOLN PARISH
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Todd Graves, Shooting:
1992 Summer Olympics, Barcelona, Spain.
1996 Summer Olympics, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
2000 Summer Olympics, Sydney, Australia - bronze (1)
Gilbert Gray, Sailing:
1932 Summer Olympics, Los Angeles, California, USA - gold (1)
Venus Lacey, Basketball:
1996 Summer Olympics, Atlanta, Georgia, USA - gold (1)
Carl Malone, Basketball:
1992 Summer Olympics, Barcelona, Spain - gold (1)
1996 Summer Olympics, Atlanta, Georgia, USA - gold (1)
Additional Olympic participants include:
Daniel Lincoln, Track & Field - steeplechase: Summer 2004, Athens, Greece.
LAFAYETTE PARISH
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Lafayette Olympic participants include:
Daniel Cormier, Wresting - heavyweight: Summer 2004, Athens, Greece; Summer 2008, Beijing, China.
Walter Davis, Track & Field - triple jump: Summer 2000, Sydney, Australia; Summer 2004, Athens, Greece.
Eric Griffin, Boxing - flyweight: Summer 1992, Barcelona, Spain.
Chanda Rubin, Tennis: Summer 2004, Athens, Greece.
Savannah Vinsant, Gymnastics - trampoline: Summer 2012, London, England.
Julian Wheeler, Boxing - featherweight: Summer 1992, Barcelona, Spain.
Christopher Estrada (University of Lafayette Louisiana), Trampoline: Summer 2008, Beijing, China.
Broussard Olympic participants include:
Erin Blanchard, Gymnastics - trampoline: Summer 2008, Beijing, China.
EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH
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Kurt Ainsworth, Baseball:
2000 Summer Olympics, Sydney, Australia - gold (1)
Seimone Augustus, Basketball:
2008 Summer Olympics, Beijing, China - gold (1)
2012 Summer Olympics, London, England - gold (1)
Glenn "Slats" Hardin, Track & Field - hurdles:
1932 Summer Olympics, Los Angeles, California, USA - silver (1)
1936 Summer Olympics, Berlin, Germany - gold (1)
Ben McDonald, Baseball:
1988 Summer Olympics, Seoul, South Korea - gold (1)
Carly Patterson, Gymnastics:
2004 Summer Olympics, Seoul, South Korea - gold (1), silver (1)
Danielle Scott-Aruda, Indoor Volleyball:
1996 Summer Olympics, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
2000 Summer Olympics, Sydney, Australia.
2004 Summer Olympics, Seoul, South Korea.
2008 Summer Olympics, Beijing, China - silver (1)
2012 Summer Olympics, London, England - silver (1)
Ben Sheets, Baseball:
2000 Summer Olympics, Sydney, Australia - gold (1)
Jason Williams, Baseball:
1996 Summer Olympics, Atlanta, Georgia, USA - bronze (1)
Sylvia Fowles (LSU), Basketball:
2008 Summer Olympics, Beijing, China - gold (1)
2012 Summer Olympics, London, England - gold (1)
Esther Jones (LSU), Track & Field - sprinter::
1992 Summer Olympics, Barcelona, Spain - gold (1)
Willie Davenport (Southern), Track & Field - hurdles & Bobsled - men's four man race*:
1964 Summer Olympics, Tokyo, Japan.
1968 Summer Olympics, Mexico City, Mexico - gold (1)
1976 Summer Olympics, Montreal, Canada - bronze (1)
1980 Winter Olympics, Lake Placid, New York, USA*.
Additional Olympic participants include:
Brett Brian, Weightlifting: Summer 1988, Seoul, South Korea; Summer 1992, Barcelona, Spain.
Kendrick Farris, Weightlifting: Summer 2008, Beijing, China; Summer 2012, London, England.
Caesar Garcia, Swimming - diving: Summer 2004, Athens, Greece.
Sidney Bowman, Track & Field - triple jump: Summer 1928, Amsterdam, Holland; Summer 1932, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Lolo Jones, Track & Field - sprinter: Summer 2008, Beijing, China; Summer 2012, London, England.
Lolo Jones, Bobsled: Winter 2014, Sochi, Russia.
Muna Lee, Track & Field - sprinter: Summer 2004, Athens, Greece; Summer 2008, Beijing, China.
Baker Olympic participants include:
Billy Brown, Track & Field - triple jump: Summer 1936, Berlin, Germany.
OUACHITA PARISH
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Bill Russell, Basketball:
1956 Summer Olympics, Melbourne, Australia - gold (1)
Additional Olympic participants include:
Breaux Greer, Track & Field - javelin: Summer 2000, Sydney, Australia; Summer 2004, Athens, Greece; Summer 2008, Beijing, China.
Brenda Morehead, Track & Field - sprinter: Summer 1976, Montreal, Canada.
Lee Priester, Track & Field - javelin: Summer 1924, Paris, France.
NATCHITOCHES PARISH
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Northwestern Olympic participants include:
Kenta Bell, Track & Field - triple jump: Summer 2004, Athens, Greece; Summer 2008, Beijing, China.
RAPIDES PARISH
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Warren Morris, Baseball:
1996 Summer Olympics, Atlanta, Georgia, USA - bronze (1)
Additional Olympic participants include:
Randy Givens, Track & Field - sprinter: Summer 1984, Los Angeles, California, USA.
CALCASIEU PARISH
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Jennie Finch, Softball:
2004 Summer Olympics, Athens, Greece - gold (1)
2008 Summer Olympics, Beijing, China - silver (1)
Additional Olympic participants include:
Brian Johnson, Track & Field - long jump: Summer 2008, Beijing, China.
Lake Charles Olympic participants include:
Lou Gage, Boxing - welterweight: Summer 1952, Helsinki, Finland.
Sharon Hanson, Track & Field - heptathlon: Summer 1996, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
TANGIPAHOA PARISH
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Kim Mulkey, Basketball:
1984 Summer Olympics, Los Angeles, California, USA - gold (1)
Hammond Olympic participants include:
Eric Bartolina, Track & Field - pole vault: Summer 2008, Beijing, China.
Christine Amertil, Track & Field - sprinter: Summer 2000, Sydney Australia; Summer 2004, Athens Greece; Summer 2008, Beijing, China; Summer 2012, London, England.
FRANKLIN PARISH
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John Moffitt, Track & Field - long jump:
2004 Summer Olympics, Athens, Greece - silver (1)
CONCORDIA PARISH
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Vidalia Olympic participants include:
John Brooks, Track & Field - long jump: Summer 1936, Berlin, Germany.
JEFFERSON DAVIS PARISH
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Welsh Olympic participants include:
Rolland Romero, Track & Field - long jump: Summer 1932, Berlin, Germany; Summer 1936 Los Angeles, California, USA.
ACADIA PARISH
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Crowley Olympic participants include:
Dudley Wilkins, Track & Field - triple jump: Summer 1936, Berlin, Germany.
ST. LANDRY PARISH
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Rodney Milburn, Track & Field - hurdles:
1972 Summer Olympics, Munich, Germany - gold (1)
WEBSTER PARISH
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Grady Glynn Saulters, Basketball:
1968 Summer Olympics, Mexico City, Mexico - gold(1)
WEST FELICIANA PARISH
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St. Francisville Olympic participants include:
Miguel Pate, Track & Field - long jump: Summer 2008, Beijing, China.
ST. MARY PARISH
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Morgan City Olympic participants include:
Burt Lancon, Figure Skating - pairs: Winter 1984, Sarajevo, Bosnia.
TERREBONNE PARISH
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Kim Willoughby, Indoor Volleyball:
2008 Summer Olympics, Beijing, China - silver (1)
ST. TAMMANY PARISH
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Joe Fortenberry, Basketball:
1932 Summer Olympics, Berlin, Germany - gold (1)
ST. CHARLES PARISH
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Destrehan Olympic participants include:
Leigh Smith, Track & Field - javelin: Summer 2008, Beijing, China.
JEFFERSON PARISH
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Brandon Knight, Baseball:
2008 Summer Olympics, Beijing, China - bronze (1)
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