Aug. 13, 2012

Longhorns in London

AUSTIN, Texas -- Ten former University of Texas student-athletes accounted for a total of 13 medals, including six gold, during the 2012 London Olympics. If these athletes were competing as a separate country, Texas would have ranked in a tie for 13th place among all nations in the number of gold medals earned and tied for 18th in the number of total medals won.

Compared to other Division I four-year colleges nationally, the Longhorns ranked fifth in the number of total medals won and tied for fifth in the number of gold medals earned. A total of 21 current or former University of Texas student-athletes and three current coaches and staff represented eight countries during the 2012 London Olympics.

Former track standout Sanya Richards-Ross paced the Longhorns' contingency with a pair of gold medals. Richards-Ross won the 400-meter dash in a time of 49.55 and also ran the anchor leg of Team USA's gold medal-winning 4x400-meter relay.

A duo of former Texas swimmers each earned two medals in London. Ricky Berens swam the third leg of Team USA's gold medal-winning 4x200-meter freestyle relay and earned a silver medal in the 4x100-meter freestyle relay after swimming in the event's preliminary round. Brendan Hansen swam the breaststroke leg of Team USA's gold medal-winning 4x100-meter medley relay and claimed a bronze medal in the 100-meter breaststroke with a time of 59.49.

Texas ex Kevin Durant was the leading scorer (19.5 ppg) for Team USA's gold medal-winning men's basketball team, while former Longhorn sprinter Bianca Knight ran the third leg of Team USA's gold medal-winning 4x100-meter relay that set a world record with a time of 40.82.

Jimmy Feigen earned a silver medal in the 4x100-meter freestyle relay after swimming in the event's preliminary round. Trey Hardee won a silver medal in the decathlon (8,671 points), while Leo Manzano earned a silver medal in the 1,500-meter run with a time of 3:34.79.

Texas ex Destinee Hooker paced the U.S. volleyball team to a silver medal, while former Longhorn Troy Dumais earned a bronze medal in the 3-meter synchronized springboard diving competition (446.70 points).

In its storied Olympics history, former and current UT student-athletes have now produced a total of 130 medals, including 73 gold, 37 silver and 20 bronze.

Most Gold Medals Won at 2012 London Olympics
Rank_____ Country_______________________ Number
1._______ United States_________________ 46
2._______ China_________________________ 38
3._______ Great Britain_________________ 29
4._______ Russia________________________ 24
5._______ South Korea___________________ 13
6._______ Germany_______________________ 11
  _______ France________________________ 11
8._______ Italy_________________________ 8
   ______ Hungary_______________________ 8
10.______ Australia_____________________ 7
   ______ Japan_________________________ 7
   ______ Kazakhstan____________________ 7
13.______ The University of Texas_______ 6
   ______ Netherlands___________________ 6
   ______ Ukraine_______________________ 6
   ______ New Zealand___________________ 6
17.______ Cuba__________________________ 5
Most Total Medals Won at 2012 London Olympics
Rank_____ Country_______________________ Number
1._______ United States_________________ 104
2._______ China_________________________ 88
3._______ Russia________________________ 82
4._______ Great Britain_________________ 65
5._______ Germany_______________________ 44
6._______ Japan_________________________ 38
7._______ Australia_____________________ 35
8._______ France________________________ 34
9._______ South Korea___________________ 28
   ______ Italy_________________________ 28
11.______ Netherlands___________________ 20
   ______ Ukraine_______________________ 20
13.______ Canada________________________ 18
14.______ Hungary_______________________ 17
   ______ Spain_________________________ 17
   ______ Brazil________________________ 17
17.______ Cuba__________________________ 14
18.______ The University of Texas_______ 13
   ______ Kazakhstan____________________ 13
   ______ New Zealand___________________ 13
21.______ Belarus_______________________ 12
   ______ Iran__________________________ 12
   ______ Jamaica_______________________ 12
24.______ Kenya_________________________ 11
25.______ Czech Republic________________ 10
   ______ Azerbaijan____________________ 10
   ______ Poland________________________ 10
         
Most Gold Medals Won at 2012 London Olympics by U.S. Colleges and Universities)
(research courtesy of CollegeSports360.com)
Rank_____ Country_______________________ Number
1._______ USC___________________________ 12
  _______ Stanford______________________ 12
3._______ California____________________ 11
4._______ Florida_______________________ 9
5._______ The University of Texas_______ 6
  _______ UCLA__________________________ 6
  _______ Connecticut___________________ 6
8._______ Tennessee_____________________ 5
9._______ Michigan______________________ 4
Most Total Medals Won at 2012 London Olympics by U.S. Colleges and Universities)
(research courtesy of CollegeSports360.com)
Rank_____ Country_______________________ Number
1._______ USC___________________________ 24
2._______ Florida_______________________ 21
3._______ California____________________ 17
4._______ Stanford______________________ 16
5._______ The University of Texas_______ 13
6._______ Washington____________________ 11
7._______ Tennessee_____________________ 10
8._______ UCLA__________________________ 8
9._______ Princeton_____________________ 7
10.______ Connecticut___________________ 6
   ______ Michigan______________________ 6
   ______ Georgia_______________________ 6
   ______ Auburn________________________ 6