The U.S. Olympic Team is set to gain some serious muscle this summer as it heads to Paris, with athletes from Vanderbilt University and Austin Peay State University (APSU) making up part of its roster. According to WKRN, the USOPC announced the inclusion of Vanderbilt track and field graduate Veronica Fraley and alum Lily Williams, alongside APSU alum Wes Kitts, in the lineup for the 2024 Olympics.
Veronica Fraley is preparing to make her Olympic debut in discus, a journey that begins after a third-place victory at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. She's no stranger to the international stage, having previously competed for Team USA in both the 2022 and 2023 World Athletics Championships and the 2023 Pan American Games. Meanwhile, former Vanderbilt cross country and track standout turned cyclist Lily Williams is ready to maybe yet again pedal her way onto the Olympic podium, continuing a stride that has already earned her a bronze with her team in Tokyo.
Over in Clarksville, Wes Kitts is becoming a familiar face on Team USA's weightlifting roster, now officially announced for the Paris 2024 Olympics. Alison Lundergan Grimes, former Secretary of State and current APSU spokesperson, shared how proud she is to see an Austin Peay alum like Wes show what Governors can achieve on the world's biggest stages. Kitt's athletic prowess is evident with a record-holding résumé that spans across two weight classes. These records are a testament to an athlete who, according to NewsChannel 9 on X, shows no signs of slowing down.
CONGRATS! Austin Peay alum Wes Kitts has officially been put on Team USA’s weightlifting roster this summer for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
— WTVC NewsChannel 9 (@newschannelnine) July 12, 2024
More: https://t.co/ETMPULjFZG
But it's not all weights and podiums for Kitts; it's also about heart and legacy. His father, who could not witness his son's Olympic feats, is a driving force behind his motivation. "The goal is to show his children you can truly accomplish anything you want," Kitts told Fox 17, reinforcing the athlete’s commitment to his family and his sport. Proof positive that determination and dedication are not just phrases for Kitts, they're a way of life.
As the games approach, with more than 10,000 athletes from around the globe converging in Paris from July 26 through August 11, Team USA looks to collegians like Fraley, Williams, and Kitts to hopefully bring glory not only to the country but to their alma maters as well. The collegiate athletic system in America continues to be a pipeline for Olympic talent, so much so that USOPC CEO Sarah Hirshland remarked, "We are incredibly grateful for the collegiate athletics administrators, coaches and support staff who inspire greatness in the student-athletes who will represent Team USA in Paris this summer," as noted by WKRN. With the games set to broadcast worldwide, all eyes will doubtless be on these athletes as they strive to lift, sprint, and bike their way into Olympic history.
