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During the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics, athletes broke world records, represented their home nations and racked up medals. In addition to the colors of their country’s flag, current and former Notre Dame competitors represented the blue and gold in Paris as well. In total, this group won 10 medals. Their medal count, bested only by 19 countries, was achieved through the outstanding effort of 16 Olympic athletes, two coaches and one Paralympian. Their achievements are a testament to their talent, hard work and effort, and to the support from the Notre Dame athletics program and community.

Of the 17 athletes who competed, 13 of them have already graduated and are further pursuing their athletic and professional careers, while four are still student-athletes at the university. The Irish fencing program sent the most athletes to the Paris Games and brought home the most medals. Lee Kiefer was especially successful, winning two gold medals in foil, leaving her the most-awarded fencer in U.S. Olympic history. After winning the individual gold, the four-time NCAA champion then led the U.S. women’s foil team to its first-ever gold medal. Current sophomore Eszter Muhari of Hungary won the bronze medal in the women’s epee event. She had previously won the 2023 NCAA women’s epee national championship as a freshman at Notre Dame, and while she narrowly missed the finals in Paris, she secured the bronze with an exciting 15-14 victory. Alumnus Amita Berthier, representing Singapore, faced a tough challenge in the first round of the women’s foil individual event, losing 15-13 to the USA’s Lauren Scruggs. Berthier, a 2023 Notre Dame graduate, previously won multiple SEA Games gold medals and has now fenced for her country in two Olympic Games. Magda Skarbonkiewicz, a freshman at Notre Dame, competed in both the individual and team sabre event, finishing fifth as a team. On the men’s side, Nick Itkin, a 2022 Notre Dame graduate, continued his impressive fencing career by winning his second Olympic bronze medal in the individual foil, his second bronze in as many Olympics. A two-time NCAA men’s foil national champion, Itkin also competed on the U.S. men’s foil team that finished fourth in Paris, narrowly missing out on a team medal. Gerek Meinhardt, yet another accomplished fencer from Notre Dame, finished fourth in the foil team event. Meinhardt, who has competed in five Olympics, has had an impressive career, which includes two team Olympic bronze medals and numerous national and international accolades. Many of these came alongside current Notre Dame associate head fencing coach Cedric Loiseau, who served as one of the épée for Team USA in Paris.

Aside from the incredibly accomplished fencing program, past members of Notre Dame’s women’s basketball, soccer and rowing teams also impressed audiences in Paris. A pair of standout players for the USA women’s 5-on-5 basketball team, Jackie Young and Jewell Loyd both played pivotal roles for the team, especially when Young started the final three games of the tournament. Both ultimately contributed to the gold medal for Team USA. In addition to the American hoopers, Natalie Achonwa played as the starting center for Team Canada. A 2014 ND graduate, Achonwa was joined by current sophomore Cassandre Prosper who came off the bench for Canada before they were eliminated during group play. Another ND alumnus representing her country through basketball was Lauren Ebo for Nigeria, who transferred from Texas to Notre Dame for the 2022-23 season. She pitched in two points, two assists and one rebound in her team’s loss to the eventual gold medalists, Team USA. For crew, Molly Bruggeman finished fifth in the rowing finals for Team USA, competing on the women’s eight team. Finally, Korbin Albert won a gold medal as a starting midfielder for the U.S. women’s soccer team. Albert scored on Australia during group play and contributed an assist on the game-winning goal of the gold medal match against Brazil.

Notre Dame athletes also had success on the track and in the pool. Chris Guiliano, a senior at Notre Dame, won a gold medal as the second swimmer in the pool for Team USA in the 4x100-meter freestyle relay team, furthering the U.S.’s legacy of medaling at the event. Guiliano also earned a silver medal by swimming in the 4x200-meter freestyle relay heats for the U.S., capping an excellent performance. He was joined by ND swim coach Chris Lindauer, who oversaw overwhelming success for the U.S. as an assistant coach. Another swimmer, recent graduate Tyler Christianson, swam for Panama and finished 22nd in the men's 200-meter breaststroke. On the track, Yared Nuguse won the bronze medal in the 1500-meter race, missing out on the silver by only 0.01 seconds. A former national champion at the event with the Irish, Nuguse still put up his personal best time in Paris. In addition, Sam Grewe, a Notre Dame track and field athlete, competed in Paris for his third-straight Paralympics, finishing eighth in high jump. The two-time medalist’s journey from a cancer diagnosis and right leg amputation to the heights of Olympic high jump success serves as an inspiring story.

The 2024 Paris Games were the single most successful Olympic Games for Notre Dame athletes in history. With this increased quality of athletes, staff and support from the university, Irish fans can only hope and trust that there will be continued athletic success at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and beyond.