Gamecock Quartet Set for Olympic Competition
PARIS, France (Aug. 1, 2024) – The 2024 Paris Olympic Games are in full swing with track & field competition set to begin early tomorrow morning. Four former Gamecock student-athletes will be looking to bring home medals for their respective countries.
Anass Essayi, the most recent graduate of South Carolina, will represent Morocco in the men’s 1500 meter. This will be Essayi’s second Olympic appearance, having competed in the opening round of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games prior to his arrival in Columbia. The four-time All-American will compete in the first round of the 1500m tomorrow at 5:05 a.m. The repechage round is set for Saturday at 1:15 p.m., with the semifinal round on Sunday at 2:15 p.m. The final round of the 1500m event is set for Tuesday, Aug. 6 at 2:50 p.m.
Eric Favors will be making his Olympic debut tomorrow in the men’s shot put, competing for Ireland. Favors, a two-time All-SEC honoree, will open his competition at 2:10 p.m. tomorrow in the qualifying round of the shot put. The final round is slated for Saturday at 1:35 p.m.
Quincy Hall will also be making his Olympic debut for team USA, doing so in the 400 meter sprint. Hall, thought to be one of the favorites for the Gold Medal, enters the Olympic meet with the second fastest 400m time in the world this year. The former NCAA Champion in the 400-meter hurdles made his way to Paris after winning the 400m at the US Olympic Trials. Hall, a five-time All-American, will open his competition on Sunday, Aug. 4 at 1:05 p.m., followed by the repechage round on Monday, Aug. 5 at 5:20 a.m. The semifinals for the men’s 400m will be on Tuesday, Aug. 6 at 1:35 p.m. and the final event will commence on Wednesday, Aug. 7 at 3:20 p.m.
The final Gamecock track athlete to appear in Paris will be Aliyah Abrams who will be making her third consecutive Olympic appearance for Guyana in the women’s 400m. Abrams competed in round one of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games and was able to advance to the semifinals of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. Abrams is a 10-time All-American as well as an NCAA Champion in the women’s 4x400m relay. The Guyana product will open her competition on Monday, Aug. 5 at 5:55 a.m. in the first round of the 400m, with the repechage round set for Tuesday, Aug. 6 at 5:20 a.m. The semifinal round will run on Wednesday, Aug. 7 at 2:45 p.m., while the final 400m race for the women will be held on Friday, Aug. 9 at 2:00 p.m.
* – all times listed are Eastern Time
