Queens University Charlotte Athletes Compete At Olympic Games Paris 2024
This year, four talented Royals athletes — past and present — are poised to represent their respective countries in swimming, triathlon, and track & field at The Olympic Games Paris 2024 beginning on Friday, July 26. As they all prepare to face the world’s best, these athletes showcase the ultimate journey from Queens to the Olympic stage.
Current Royals swimmer Matej Dusa will be representing his home country of Slovakia at this year’s Olympics, competing in his two strongest events — the 50-meter freestyle and 100-meter freestyle. Duša is well-known for his speed, holding the Slovakian national records in both events with his 50-meter freestyle record time clocking in at 22.11 seconds and his 100-meter freestyle record time at 49.12 seconds.
The swimming events at the 2024 Paris Olympics will take place from July 27 to August 9. The pool events are scheduled from July 27 to August 4 at the Paris La Défense Arena, while the marathon swimming events will occur on August 8 and 9 at Pont Alexandre III through the Seine River.
The 100-meter freestyle event will begin with prelims on July 30 from 5:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. ET. The 50-meter freestyle semifinals will also air on July 30 with a 2:30 p.m. start, while finals will air on July 31 at 2:30 p.m. The 50-meter freestyle event will begin with prelims on August 1 from 5:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. ET. The 50-meter freestyle semifinals and finals will air on August 2 at 5:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., respectively.
Seth Rider, a native of Germantown, Tenn. and former Queens triathlete will make his Olympic debut at the 2024 Paris Games after being selected by USA Triathlon’s Games Athlete Selection Panel. Rider’s notable achievements as a triathlete include representing Team USA at the Youth Olympic Games in 2014, winning the USA Triathlon Junior Elite National Championships in 2015, and being named USA Triathlon’s U23 Athlete of the Year in 2018.
Rider, part of the U.S. Olympic Triathlon Team, will compete in both the individual men’s triathlon and the mixed relay set for July 30-31 and August 5. All three days of competition will begin at 2:00 a.m. ET.
Felix Duchampt, a 2015 Queens graduate and Hall of Famer, will also compete as a triathlete in the 2024 Olympic Games. A native of Clermont-Ferrand, France, Duchampt will represent Romania in his second career-Olympic Games to date. Duchampt’s career at Queens was highlighted by three Conference Carolinas Runner of the Year titles and USTFCCCA All-American honors in cross country.
Duchampt also was named USTFCCCA Southeast Region Athlete of the Year twice while competing for Royals track & field.
Duchampt will participate in the men’s individual triathlon event on Tuesday, July 30 beginning at 2:00 a.m.
Niklas Klei, a sprinter and jumper from Germany, graduated from Queens in 2022 and was selected as an alternate for Team Germany in the 2024 Olympic Games. A native of Kirchlengern, Klei was nominated as 4×400 relay pool substitute on July 10 after a standout performance at the German Indoor Athletics Championships. Klei was instrumental in the Queens men’s track & field team’s seventh-straight South Atlantic Conference Track & Field Championship in 2022 and was later named USTFCCCA Southeast Region Field Athlete of the Year in the same season.
2024 Olympic track & field events will begin on August 1 and finish on August 11 at the Stade de France. The Men’s 4×400-meter relay will begin at 5:05 a.m. ET on August 9.
Follow along with all 2024 Olympics action airing on NBC, CNBC, E! and USA Network and streaming on Peacock.
Queens will provide coverage of the 2024 Paralympic Games in August. The Paralympic Games 2024 Paris are set to begin on August 28 and run until September 8. Be sure to keep up to date with www.queensathletics.com for updates.
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