26 July 2024
King's performance athletes to compete in Paris 2024
The 2024 Paris Olympics kicks off today with talented King’s students and alumni competing. With support from the King’s Sport Performance Programme, the athletes were able to progress in their sport and compete at the highest level while still achieving in their studies.
Dina Asher-Smith
Sprinter Dina Asher-Smith (History, 2017) is the fastest woman in British history, holding national records in the 100 and 200m. She will be competing in both events at the Olympics, as well as the 4x100m relay.
No British woman has ever taken a gold medal in the 100 or 200m, but Dina has had a successful summer already with a British 200m title and a fifth European 100m gold.
Dina was named Alumna of the Year 2021 at the King’s Distinguished Alumni Awards. She achieved a number of success while still a student at King's, including becoming the fastest teenager in history at the 2015 World Championships.
Imani-Lara Lansiquot
Competing against Dina in the 100m will be fellow King’s alum, Imani-Lara (Psychology, 2020). Her first time competing in the individual sprints at Olympic level, Imani-Lara will be looking to break her personal PB of 10.9 seconds.
She will then work together with Dina for the 4x100m relay, where Team GB will be hoping to replicate their bronze medal success from Tokyo. Imani-Lara was part of the team who won Commonwealth gold in this event in 2022 and bronze in the 2023 World Championships.
Laviai Nielsen
Moving to the 400m is another King’s alum Laviai Nielsen (Geography, 2018). Laviai grew up doing athletics with her twin sister Lina. She won two medals at the 2023 World Athletics Championships and will be competing in the 400m and 4x400m relay.
Both Laviai and her sister have multiple sclerosis, they talk about this and their lives as elite athletes on their YouTube channel ‘The Nielsen Twins’.
Dean Reeves
Current King’s student Dean Reeves will be representing Morocco in the BMX Racing. He combines training with study for his Masters in Developmental Psychology and Psychopathology.
BMX debuted at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and riders compete on a course with multiple jumps and turns. There will be three quarterfinal runs with 12 riders qualifying directly into the semifinals. Following this, eight riders will compete in a new Last Chance Race, from which a further four riders can progress to the semis.
Dean enters the competition as the 2023 African Continental Champion.
Lily Owsley
In the hockey, Lily Owsley (Neuroscience, 2022) will be hoping to secure a third Olympic medal. Lily was a member of both the Rio and Tokyo squads, taking Gold and Bronze respectively.
A veteran midfielder, with over 200 GB and England caps, she will be putting her experience to good use in Paris.
