GOLDEN TOUCH: Maia Weintraub, right, celebrates with a teammate during the 2022 Ivy League Championships. Last Thursday, rising Tiger junior Weintraub had reason to celebrate as she helped the U.S. women’s foil team win a gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Weintraub, designated as the alternate for the U.S. squad, stepped in the gold medal match and won both of her bouts as the U.S. defeated Italy 45-39. Weintraub is the first Princetonian to win a fencing gold medal. (Photo provided courtesy of Princeton Athletics)

By Bill Alden

Led by some historic performances from rowers and fencers, several former and current Princeton University standout athletes enjoyed a gold rush last week at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Former women’s open rowing star Hannah Scott ’21 started the Tiger gold rush last Wednesday as she helped Great Britain win the A final in the women’s quad sculls.

The British crew clocked a winning time of 6:16.31 over the 2,000-meter course at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium, just edging runner-up Netherlands, which came in at 6:16.46.

“What a day for Hannah, her country and Princeton,” said Tiger open head coach Lori Dauphiny. “That was one of the most remarkable finishes I have ever seen and is such a testament to her hard work and perseverance.”

Scott’s gold medal was the 34th all-time for a Princeton athlete and first rowing gold since Caroline Lind ’06 went back-to-back in the women’s eight for the U.S. at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics.

A day later, former Tiger men’s heavyweight star Nick Mead ’17 rowed from the bow seat as the U.S. men’s four took gold. The U.S. posted a time of 5:49.03 with New Zealand coming in second at 5:49.88. Australia took sixth in the race with another Princeton alum, Tim Masters ’15, on the boat.

The gold medal marked the 35th for a Princetonian at an Olympic Games. Mead is the first Princeton men’s rower to win an Olympic gold medal since Chris Ahrens won gold in the eight with the U.S. in 2004 and he is the third Princeton men’s rower overall to win a gold medal with Mike Evans (Canada men’s eight, 1984) the other.

“This was an amazing piece of rowing from Nick and his teammates,” said Princeton men’s heavyweight head coach Greg Hughes. “They set the pace in the race and executed their race plan so well. What a day for Nick and his family and everyone who has supported him along the way.”

On Friday, Tom George ’18 helped the Great Britain men’s pair take second in their A final. Croatia won the gold with a time of 6:23.66 with British earning silver as they came in at 6:24.11.

As a result, George became a two-time Olympic medalist, having earned a bronze medal in the men’s eight at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
“What an Olympics for Tom,” said Hughes. “To become a two-time Olympic medalist is something very special and it has been a joy to watch him compete and represent himself, his family, and his country as well as Princeton Rowing.”

George’s silver medal marked the 90th medal overall for a Princeton athlete and the 27th silver medal. George is the fourth Princeton rower to win a pair of Olympic medals and second male rower to do so joining Doug Burden who won silver (1992, men’s four-) and bronze (1988, men’s eight) for the U.S.

Last Thursday, former Princeton open crew stars Kelsey Reelick ’14 and Emily Kallfelz ’19 came up short in their bid for a medal as they rowed on a U.S. women’s four that placed fifth in its A final.

Two days later, Claire Collins ’19 also missed out on a medal as her U.S. women’s eight placed fifth in its A final. The U.S. clocked a time of 6:01.73, just over two seconds behind bronze medalist Great Britain, who came in at 5:59.51.

On the fencing strip at the Grand Palais, rising Princeton junior Maia Weintraub added to her glittering resume last Thursday as she earned a gold medal for the U.S. women’s foil team to go along with being a two-time All-American and an NCAA champion.

Weintraub, designated as the alternate for the U.S. squad, stepped in the gold medal match and won both of her bouts as the U.S. defeated Italy 45-39.

Weintraub is the first Princetonian to win a fencing gold medal and the fifth to win a fencing medal overall, men or women. Susannah Scanlan ’14 and Maya Lawrence ’02 won team épée bronze in 2012 with Team USA, Tracy Jaeckel 1928 won team épée bronze in 1932, and Henry Breckenridge 1907 won team foil bronze with the Americans in 1920.

Earlier, former Tiger star Katharine Holmes ’17 and rising Princeton sophomore Hadley Husisian competed for the U.S in the women’s team épée competition. The two Tigers had 19 of the 39 touches over six bouts as the U.S. fell 45-39 to South Korea in a placement match to finish seventh overall.

Two other Princeton fencers, rising sophomore Tatiana Nazlymov and Maia Chamberlain ’22, competed for the U.S. women’s saber team. The U.S. ended up defeating Algeria 45-28 in the fifth place match last Saturday as both Nazlymov and Chamberlain won bouts in the match.

On Sunday, Mohamed Hamza ’23 wrapped up his third Olympics for Egypt, competing for its men’s foil team. Hamza got 15 touches and won two of his three bouts in a losing cause as Egypt fell 45-38 to Canada in the seventh place match.

Former Princeton men’s hoops star Kareem Maddox ’11 helped the U.S. go 2-5 in 3×3 basketball as it finished seventh in pool play. Maddox came up big as the U.S. topped China 21-17 last Friday in its next to last game, scoring four points and grabbing a game-high 10 rebounds. The Americans concluded play by falling 21-6 to the Netherlands last Sunday.

Over at the Aquatics Centre, Ashleigh Johnson ’17 and Jovana Sekulic ’26 starred as the U.S. women’s water polo team defeated France 17-5 last Friday in its final Group B game. Star goalie Johnson made nine saves while Sekulic added a goal as the U.S. ended up second in its group. The U.S. squad, which is seeking a fourth straight gold medal, was slated to face Hungary in a quarterfinal matchup on August 6 with the victor advancing to the semis on August 8.

Tiger rising junior field hockey star Beth Yeager helped the U.S. end Pool B action on a high note as it edged South Africa 1-0 last Saturday at the Yves-du-Manoir Stadium. The Americans posted a 1-3-1 record as they finished fifth of six teams in pool play.

Over at the Stade de France, former Princeton distance running star Lizzie Bird ’17, competing for Great Britain, earned a spot in the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase final, taking fourth in her heat in 9:16.46 last Sunday.

Bird, who also made the steeplechase final at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 where she took ninth, will go for a medal in this year’s final, which was slated for August 6.

Another Tiger track and field standout, Sondre Guttormsen ’23 of Norway, earned a place in the men’s pole value final as he cleared 5.40, 5.60, 5.70 and 5.75 meters on the first attempt at each height to finish in the top 12. In the final on Monday, Guttormsen placed eighth with a best mark of 5.80 meters.