Lions in Paris! Columbia Representatives Set to Compete at 2024 Olympic Games
8/8/2024 2:00:00 PM | General, Men's Basketball, Women's Rowing, Fencing, Heavyweight Rowing, Lightweight Rowing
Columbia has six former and one current student-athlete representing their countries on the biggest stage
PARIS — Former Columbia fencing standout Jackie Dubrovich '16CC made history, helping the United States secure its first gold medal in an Olympic fencing team competition on Thursday, August 1.
Dubrovich, a native of Maplewood, New Jersey, is the first Columbia fencer to ever win a gold medal at the Olympics. She is the first Columbia student-athlete to medal since Katie Meili '13CC earned a gold and bronze medal in Rio in 2016 and is the 13th medalist in Columbia Athletics' history.
Maodo Lo ‘16CC and Team Germany made it all the way to the bronze medal game in men's basketball, but fell to Serbia, 93-83. Germany went 3-0 in the group phase before dropping its final two contests.
Bogdan Hamilton made his Olympic debut Sunday for Team Canada in the men's foil team competition. Canada finished seventh, and Hamilton fenced in the reclassification round against China and picked up two wins in a team victory over Egypt to close out the event.
On Saturday morning, Charlotte Buck ‘18CC and the United States women’s eight crew placed fifth in the finals. The U.S. had high hopes after winning a repechage to re-enter the main draw, but a late push was not enough to earn a spot on the podium.
In the individual fencing competitions, Dubrovich fell in her round of 32 matchup against Hungary's Flora Basztor and Anne Cebula '20BC advanced to the Round of 16 before being eliminated. Cebula wrapped up her portion of the Games in the team epee competition, where the U.S. epee placed seventh.
A total of seven former and current student-athletes are competing in Paris for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games from July 27 and ends on August 11.
Representing the Lions at the 30th Summer Olympic Games for the United States are Charlotte Buck '18CC (rowing - women's eight), Anne Cebula' 20BC (women's fencing - epee), Jackie Dubrovich (women's fencing - foil) and Alexander Hedge '19CC (rowing), who will serve as an alternate. Rising junior Bogdan Hamilton earned a spot on the Canadian men's fencing foil squad and Maodo Lo '16CC will compete for Germany in men's basketball.
Buck, Dubrovich and Lo are all making their second Olympic appearances after representing their countries at the 2020 Games in Tokyo.
At the Paralympic Games, Skyler Espinoza (Samuelson) '17BC will compete in Tandem Duo Cycling as a pilot with her partner Hannah Chadwick during the Paralympic Games, which will also take place in Paris from August 28 through September 8.
Additionally, Columbia's assistant fencing coach Akhnaten Spencer-El will serve as Team USA's head men's sabre coach and former wrestler Lewis Albert Andres MD' 94CC will be part of the United States medical team.
Historically, Columbia has had 59 athletes compete in the Olympic Games since 1896. A total of 13 former Columbia student-athletes have won 16 Olympic medals, including six Gold, six Silver, and four Bronze. Columbia has had one or more athletes on every U.S. Olympic squad since 1968.
Learn more about the athletes competing and check out when to watch the Lions going for gold below.
Olympic Update
Buck and the women's eight placed fifth in the finals on August 3. The U.S. was within striking distance heading into the final 500 meters, but could not overtake the top three finishers to earn a spot on the podium.
The U.S. won the repechage in the women's eight to earn a spot in the finals Saturday morning. The U.S. turned in a time of 6:03.92 to edge out Canada. Buck will race at 4:50 a.m. Saturday in search of Columbia's first-ever medal in rowing.
The U.S. placed second to defending world champion Romania on Monday, failing to earn a direct route to the finals.
Buck Bio
Buck narrowly missed the podium at the Tokyo Games in 2021, after placing fourth with the women's eight. This year, she is slotted to sit in the stroke seat with the United States set to be one of the favorites to win gold in the event. A product of Nyack, New York, Buck led the women's eight to silver at the 2023 World Championships.
During her time with the Lions, Buck was First Team All-Ivy League and selected to the Pocock Second Team All-America squad in 2018. After originally joining the program as a walk-on, she two-time captain and led the Varsity-Eight to a Bronze Medal at Eastern Sprints.
Olympic Recap
Cebula, who ranked No. 22 in the field coming into the event, won a 15-14 battle in overtime over No. 11 Rossella Fiamingo of Italy in the Round of 32 on the opening day of the Olympics Saturday. The opening bout was a tight contest throughout with neither competitor leading by more than two touches. Cebula came up with a big point with 48 seconds remaining in the third period to even things up at 14-14 before securing the victory in extra time.
Cebula nearly pulled off an incredible comeback In the Round of 16, before falling to No. 6 Aurian Mallo-Breton of France, 15-13. Cebula trailed 13-8 heading into the third period before rattling off four consecutive touches to pull within one. However, a double-touch kept Mallo-Breton in front and clinched he match on the next restart.
In the team event on July 30, the sixth-ranked United States earned a seventh place finish. The U.S. fell in a heartbreaker, 31-29, to No. 3 Poland in the round of eight. The Americans led most of the way, keyed by a 5-2 victory by Cebula in the second cycle. Despite holding a three-touch advantage headed into the third bouts, Poland won the final three matchups to end the United States' medal hopes.
After a defeat to Korea in the reclassification stage, the U.S. won its final matchup of the day against Egypt with 3-0 to cap her Olympics.
Cebula Bio
Cebula, a product of Brooklyn, New York, is currently ranked No. 28 in the world in her discipline. She was a World Championship Epee Team member in 2023 and took gold in the individual North American Cups in October. She will compete in both the individual and team events in Paris.
In 2019, Cebula won the NCAA Individual Epee Championship, becoming the first Barnard College student-athlete to win an individual NCAA title in any sport. Additionally, she was the first women's epeeist to win the NCAA crown. Cebula earned All-America honors twice in her career and helped the Lions win an Ivy League Women's Championship and the NCAA Combined title in 2019.
Women's Epee Schedule
Olympic Update
Dubrovich made history, helping the United States secure its first gold medal in an Olympic team competition on Thursday. Dubrovich and the world's No. 2-ranked women's foil squad defeated top-seeded Italy, 45-39, in the gold medal match to secure the top spot on the podium.
Dubrovich, a native of Maplewood, New Jersey, is the first Columbia fencer to ever win a gold medal at the Olympics. She is the first Columbia student-athlete to medal since Katie Meili '13CC earned a gold and bronze medal in Rio in 2016 and is the 13th medalist in Columbia Athletics' history.
The United States dispatched China, 45-37, in the round of eight and then overcame an early deficit to defeat Canada, 45-31, in the semifinals to guarantee a spot on the podium.
Dubrovich came up clutch against Canada, winning her final two bouts to keep the U.S. in front as it secured a spot in the gold medal matchup. Overall, she went 3-3-1 during her bouts.
Dubrovich drew No. 23 Flora Pasztor of Hungary in the Round of 32 where she fell, 15-12. Dubrovich jumped out to an early 5-3 lead in the first period, but could not pull away. Paztor rattled off four unanswered to take the lead for good in the second frame and took two of the three points in the final period to come away with the win.
Dubrovich Bio
Dubrovich heads into the event ranked the No. 10 women's foilist in the world and earned a bronze medal at an International Fencing Federation World Cup event in Cairo. The event also resulted in the Team USA Women's Foil squad winning gold and securing its spot for the 2024 games in Paris. She placed 21st at the Tokyo games individually and fourth in the team event.
The native of Maplewood, New Jersey, is one of only 13 fencers in program history to earn four consecutive All-America honors at Columbia, including three first team selections. Dubrovich was named Columbia’s Connie S. Maniatty and William V. Campbell award-winner in 2016 after totaling more NCAA Championship wins than any other women’s foil fencer in school history (75-17). She guided Columbia to back-to-back national team championships and Ivy League women's titles in 2015 and 2016
Women's Foil Schedule
| DATE | ROUND | TIME (ET)/RESULT | WATCH |
| Sunday, July 28 | Flora Paasztor (Hungary) | L, 12-15 | Peacock |
| Thursday, August 1 | China (Team Quarterfinals) | W, 45-37 | Peacock |
| Canada (Team Semifinals) | W, 45-31 | Peacock | |
| Italy (Gold Medal Match) | W, 45-39 (Gold Medal) | E! Network |
Olympic Update
Hamilton made his Olympic debut Sunday for Team Canada in the men's foil team competition. Canada, who entered the tournament as the No. 8 seed, finished seventh. Hamilton fenced in the reclassification round against China and picked up two wins in a team victory over Egypt to close out the event.
Hamilton Bio
Hamilton had a strong sophomore season for the Lions, earning Second Team All-Ivy honors and guiding Columbia to the men's team title at Round Robins. He competed at the 2024 NCAA Championships in foil and finished seventh at the Zone Championships in Lima, Peru, in June.
Hamilton took bronze at 2022 Junior Pan American Games and led foil squad to a runner-up finish. He has also competed at Senior Pan Am and World Championships.
Men's Foil Schedule
| DATE | ROUND | TIME (ET)/RESULT | WATCH |
| Sunday, August 4 | Japan (Round of 8) | L, 26-45 | Peacock |
| China (Reclassification) | L, 32-45 | E! Network | |
| Egypt (Reclassification) | W, 45-38 (7th Place) | Peacock |
Olympic Update
Lo and Team Germany fell to Serbia, 93-83, in the bronze medal game Saturday morning. In the semifinals, Germany dropped a 73-69 heartbreaker to France. The fourth-place finish was the highest-ever for Germany at the Olympics.
Germany overcame an early deficit to beat Greece, 76-63, on Tuesday and advance to the Olympics semifinals for the first time. Germany will face France for the second time in less than a week on Thursday at 11:30 a.m. for a spot in the gold medal game.
Germany finished pool play 3-0 after dispatching France, 85-71, Friday. Lo has not seen action in the last two games.
Germany defeated Brazil, 86-73, Tuesday. Lo netted two points and added an assist in six minutes of action. Germany opened the Games with a 97-77 victory to open the group stage Saturday morning. Lo dished out three assists and was a +9 in 13 minutes of action off the bench.
Lô Bio
Lô averaged a team-best 13.5 points and 2.8 rebounds in 28.6 minutes per game over four contests in Tokyo in 2021. Germany reached the quarter-finals before falling to Slovenia. He dropped a Germany single-game best 24 points in the group phase opener against Italy. Last September, Germany earned gold at the FIBA Basketball World Cup where the Berlin native played in all eight games and averaged 6.6 points and 2.5 assists over 16.3 minutes per game. He shot 44.2 percent from the field.
At Columbia from 2012-16, Lô was a three-time All-Ivy League selection and graduated as the Lion's all-time leader in 3-point field goals made (277) and third in points (1,756). Professionally, he has won five championships with four different teams, including earning BBL Finals MVP honors in 2017.
