Three UGA athletes won medals in the 2008 Olympics held in Beijing, China Aug. 8-24.
• Former UGA swimmer Kara Lynn Joyce earned two silver medals in both the
4×100 meter freestyle relay and the 4×100 medley relay. In the freestyle relay, Joyce swam the third leg and helped to set the American record of 3:34.33. For the medley relay, she swam the freestyle leg in the preliminaries and helped the U.S. qualify for the final. In the finals, the team posted an American record of 3:53.30.
• Former UGA track and field standout Hyleas Fountain won the silver medal in the heptathlon. Garnering 6,619 points Fountain competed in seven events: javelin throw, 800-meter run, shot put, 200-meter run, long jump, 100-meter hurdles and high jump.
Fountain originally won the bronze medal, but was elevated to silver after the silver medal winner tested positive for steroid use.
• Freshman Allison Schmitt, of Canton, Mich., won a bronze medal as a member of the women’s 4×200 meter freestyle relay. Schmitt swam the first leg of the relay, which set the American record with a time of 7:46.33.
• Also, Jack Bauerle, head coach of UGA’s swimming team, served as the head coach for the U.S. women swim team, which claimed 14 medals at the games.
Several other former UGA athletes placed well in the Olympics.
• Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie, who represented her native Bahamas, placed seventh in both the women’s 100-and 200-meter runs, with times of 11:19 and 22:61, respectively.
• Reese Hoffa finished seventh in the shot put with a throw of 20.53 feet.
• Former diver Chris Colwill placed 12th in the men’s three-meter springboard competition.
-compiled by Sara Freeland
