So many Olympians are also student-athletes

35 Paris 2024 medallists (47 medals in total!) took part at the Chengdu 2021 FISU World University Games Summer last year. And many other former and current FISU athletes also shone on the world stage during the recent Olympic Games.

The Olympic Games represent the ultimate goal for most athletes. Among these competitors are a special group of elite athletes who can call on previous experience of high-level international competition at FISU World University Games, FISU World University Championships and FISU University World Cups.

FISU events as a precious springboard

These competitions bring together thousands of student-athletes in a multi-sport environment. Student-athletes who compete at FISU’s events can readily pursue a dual career approach, balancing competition and training with university studies, with the chance to excel both on and off the field of play. On top of that, experiencing a multi-sport event, often for the first time, with large crowds, bigger media exposure and requests, and the constant adrenaline rush means they are better prepared mentally to compete during Olympic Games.

35 student-athletes who took part at the Chengdu 2021 FISU World University Games Summer in China last year made it to Paris Olympic Games podiums for a total of 47 medals! Already a star in Chengdu, the amazing Chinese swimmer Zhang Yufei won one silver medal and five bronze in Paris and her fellow student-athletes from China, artistic gymnasts Zou Jingyuan and Zhang Boheng, each brought three medals back to their home country!

But as Baron Pierre de Coubertin, founder of Modern Olympics, famously said: “The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part,” and so many more current or former FISU athletes also shone in France’s capital. Some of the Chengdu stars who featured in Paris included:

• Patrizia van der Weken, winner of Luxembourg’s first-ever FISU World University Games gold in Chengdu, claiming victory in the women’s 100m. She is studying for an MBA in international sport management at LUNEX University in Luxembourg. She finished 4th in her Paris women’s 100m semi-final.
• EJ Obiena of the Philippines, who has established himself as one of the stars of his discipline since winning men’s pole vault gold at the 2019 FISU World University Games in Naples. He competed at his first Olympics in Tokyo while studying at the University of Santo Tomas and has since won two medals at the World Athletics Championships. In Paris he finished 4th behind the untouchable Armand – Mondo – Duplantis from Sweden, Sam Kendricks from the United States, and Emmanouil Karalis from Greece.
• Ghanaian high jumper Rose Yeboah, who won gold at the most recent edition in Chengdu, having triumphed as a student at the University of Cape Town, and finished 14th at the Stade de France in Paris having enrolled as a student-athlete at the University of Illinois. 

A former student-athlete right at the top!

And of course dual carrer also helps student-athletes on their future professional paths. Some become doctors, lawyers, or engineers, and some remain in the magnificent world of sports. That is the case of a former FISU-athlete who took centre stage throughout the Paris Olympic Games: none other that its the chief executive, Tony Estanguet.

Before becoming a three time Olympic Champion in canoe slalom (in Sydney, Athens and London), the Frenchman won the C1 category at the 1998 FISU World University Championships Canoe Slalom in Metz!

A Paris bronze medallist at New Delhi 2024 FISU Championship Shooting Sport

In a further example of dual careers enabling elite performances in sport and studies, 67 of the 132 members of the Swiss team at Paris 2024 are currently studying or have studied previously during their careers, which is just over 50%! Switzerland travelled home with eight medals, five of which were won by student-athletes, including women’s triathlon silver medallist Julie Derron who completed a Master’s degree in Food Science at ETH Zurich in 2023. This special group of competitors also brought back 23 Olympic Diplomas.

And participation goes both ways as there will be an Olympian bronze medallist taking part in the New Delhi 2024 FISU World University Championship Shooting Sport scheduled from 9-13 November. Switzerland has announced that Audrey Gogniat will travel to India. The 21 year old, who finished third of the 10 metre air rifle competition in Paris, only just left the Swiss Federal Institute of Sport Magglingen to carry on studying in Mississippi to become a sports teacher.

The benefits of a dual career

FISU President Leonz Eder spoke of his pride at the success of student-athletes and believes Paris 2024 will further showcase the benefits of a dual career. “It is inspiring to see so many examples of student-athletes who have successfully combined elite sport with their studies and are now looking to add Olympic Games medals to their achievements at FISU World University Games and Championships, whether in Paris or in future Games”.

Written by Thérèse Courvoisier