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.