A Look at Oklahoma Athletes Competing in Paris Olympics

Seven current or former Oklahoma athletes are competing at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games until Aug. 11.

Vernon Turner / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

There’s a pipeline from Norman to Paris. 

Seven current or former Oklahoma athletes are competing at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, which kicked off Friday with Opening Ceremonies. The games will conclude with Closing Ceremonies on Aug. 11. 

Sooners competing in Paris include Abraham Ancer (men’s golf), Emre Dodanli (men’s gymnastics), James Fraschilla (3x3 men’s basketball), Ralford Mullings (men’s track & field), Abi Olajuwon (women’s basketball), Ama Pipi (women’s track & field) and Vernon Turner (men’s track & field). With the addition of seven new athletes, OU has now produced 89 Olympians. A former or current Sooner has competed in the last 22 Olympic Games. 

Here’s a closer look at each Sooner competing in Paris. 

Abraham Ancer, Men’s Golf, Mexico

At 33, this is Ancer’s second time representing Mexico at the Olympics. He also competed at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Although born in McAllen, TX, Ancer spent time in Reynosa, Mexico while growing up and has dual citizenship. 

After a one-year stint at Odessa College, Ancer transferred to OU, where he graduated in 2013. Ancer left Norman second all-time in scoring average in program history. He then started his professional career immediately and now competes on the LIV Golf Tour. 

The men’s golf competition will start at 2 a.m. Thursday and wraps up with Round 4 on Sunday. 

Emre Dodanli, Men’s Gymnastics, Turkey

Dodanli became an Olympian before even concluding his collegiate career with OU. Just finishing his junior season, Dodanli will compete in men’s gymnastics for Turkey. This is the first time in its country’s history that Turkey qualified a team in men’s gymnastics. Dodanli won gold in the all-around at the Turkish Artistic Gymnastics Championship earlier this summer. 

Dodanli was the first Sooner to compete in Paris, with men’s gymnastics qualification on Saturday. The individual all-around final will be Wednesday. Event finals start Saturday. 

James Fraschilla, Men’s 3x3 Basketball, United States

Fraschilla will represent OU in a different way as an assistant coach on the USA Men’s 3x3 Basketball National Team. He walked onto the Sooners’ basketball team before graduating in 2015 and following in his father’s footsteps as a coach. 

This is only the second Olympics with 3x3 basketball, however, the U.S. did not qualify for the Tokyo Olympics. USA’s first men’s 3x3 game in an Olympics will be against Serbia at 3:35 p.m. Tuesday. 

Ralford Mullings, Men’s Track & Field, Jamaica 

Mullings will compete in the discus throw for Jamaica. He’s originally from Kingston, Jamaica. Although a junior at OU, Mullings actually hasn’t even competed for the Sooners yet after transferring from Arkansas and starting his career at Arizona State. He competed unattached this past season. 

The discus throw competition will start on Aug. 5 with qualification. 

Abi Olajuwon, Women’s Basketball, Nigeria

Born in Houston but of Nigerian descent, the daughter of NBA legend Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon is an assistant coach for Nigeria’s women’s basketball team. She was a McDonald’s All-American before getting to OU in 2006. She averaged 10.6 points a game as a senior in 2009-10 before a brief WNBA career. She then got into coaching, currently serving as an assistant for the Connecticut Sun. 

Nigeria plays France at 10:15 a.m. Thursday after beating Australia 75-62 early Monday morning. 

Ama Pipi, Women’s Track & Field, Great Britain 

Born in London, Pipi will compete in a pair of events for Great Britain, including the 400 meter and 4x400 relay, in her second Olympics at 28. Her team finished fifth in the 4x400 relay in Tokyo. 

Pipi attended OU in 2015-18, becoming an All-American in 2018 and winning a Big 12 title in the 200 meter. She also holds the school record in the indoor 400-meter sprint. 

Pipi will start with the 400 meter on Aug. 5. 

Vernon Turner, Men’s Track & Field, United States

Having just finished his OU career in 2023, Turner will represent the United States in high jump. He still holds the program record in the outdoor and indoor high jump. He was also an indoor NCAA champion in 2022. Turner is the only Oklahoman on this list, having attended Yukon High School. However, he was born in Kansas City, MO, so the state of Missouri gets to claim Turner as an Olympian. 

The high jump competition will start with qualification on Aug. 7.