PARIS, France — The 2024 Olympic Games have begun! The Opening Ceremony in Paris officially started the games on Friday, and WCNC Charlotte is tracking several competitors with Carolina connections.
One such athlete is Erika Connolly, née Brown. Originally from California, this swimmer went to Hough High School in Cornelius, North Carolina, just 24 miles north of Charlotte. For 2024, she secured one of six spots on the freestyle relay squad. She also placed 13th overall in the women's 100-meter freestyle that year.
Connolly and the other American women on the relay team hit the water at 5 a.m. on Saturday and won the qualifying heats. The squad qualified for the final race with a time of 3:33.29, the best of their heat. The team hit the water again without Connolly for the final race later Saturday.
The U.S. women's team secured the silver medal with a time of 3:30.20, an Americas record. Australia took gold, leading the U.S. by just under two seconds. China earned bronze, just a tenth of a second behind the U.S.
The following women were on the U.S. team for the final:
- Kate Douglass
- Gretchen Walsh
- Torri Huske
- Simone Manuel
Connolly made her Olympic debut during the Tokyo Games, earning two medals in team relay events. She won silver in the women's 4 x 100-meter medley relay and bronze in the women's 4 x 100-meter freestyle relay.
Before making her Olympic debut, she racked up state championships in the Tar Heel State. She then took her talents to the University of Tennessee.