Maryland athletes have dominated the Olympics in recent years. Perhaps you remember that in 2016, if Maryland were a country, it would have won more gold medals (14) than all but five countries in the world.
The 2024 Summer Olympics begin July 26 in Paris. While Michael Phelps remains retired, there will be plenty of Maryland connections to the games.
But before we move forward, let’s look back at the history of the area’s Olympic athletes with “The 15 Baltimore Summer Olympic Medalists.”
I’ve only compiled medal winners on this list. If would be impossible to include everyone who has ever participated on one magazine page. Also, these are folks who were born or raised in Baltimore or the surrounding Baltimore suburbs. Apologies to iconic athletes like Montgomery County’s Katie Ledecky and the many who attended local colleges like Johns Hopkins or Navy.
Also not included are athletes who moved to Baltimore at older ages to train for the Olympics, specifically North Baltimore Aquatic Club swimmers like Theresa Andrews, Katie Hoff, Cierra Runge and Allison Schmitt. I’ve combined athletes by sport in order to include all medalists. Thanks to Olympedia for being a tremendous resource. Apologies if somehow someone slipped through the cracks.
1. Basketball: Carmelo Anthony, Angel McCoughtry
Anthony was born in New York, but he was raised here and graduated from Towson Catholic. He’s the most decorated player in USA Men’s Basketball history (three golds, one bronze) and scored the second-most points in USA Olympics history. Baltimore native McCoughtry (St. Frances) is a two-time gold medal winner, averaging 10.9 points per game in 2012 and 9.5 in 2016.
2. Cycling: Georgia Gould
Gould grew up in Guilford and Ruxton and attended Roland Park Country School before moving to New England. She won bronze in the Women’s Cross Country event in 2012.
3. Gymnastics: Connie Caruccio-Lenz
Born in Cambridge, Caruccio-Lenz moved to Baltimore at a young age and competed for Germania Turnverein (also known as the Baltimore Turners). She won in 1948 as part of the team competition but apparently should have had more. At the 1936 Games, individual medals were not given to female gymnasts (that didn’t start until 1952). If medals had been awarded, her scores would have earned her a gold on the bars and a bronze on the balance beam.
4. Paralympics: Jessica Long, Tatyana McFadden, Becca Meyers, Daniel Romanchuk, Ian Silverman
I wasn’t capable of digging through the entire history of the Paralympics due to record-keeping issues. But in the modern era, this group of Maryland athletes has been dominant. Middle River native Long has 29 career medals (and counting) in swimming, fifth most all-time. Her 16 golds are tied for eighth most. Clarksville native McFadden (Atholton) has 19 overall medals, including eight golds in her T54 racing career. Timonium native Meyers (Notre Dame Prep) claimed six swimming medals (three gold) between the 2012 and 2016 Games. Mt. Airy native Romanchuck won two T54 medals (gold in 400 meters, bronze in the marathon) at the 2020 Paralympics. Baltimore native Silverman (McDonogh) won swimming gold in the 400 meter freestyle S10 in 2012.
5. Rowing: Wyatt Allen, Betsy Beard, Sherm Clark, Bob Gerhardt, Ed Graves, Andrew Sudduth
Allen, Beard, Clark and Gerhardt are or were Baltimore natives, while Graves was a Chesapeake City native and Sudduth was born in Baltimore before moving to New Hampshire at a young age. Allen won gold in 2004 and bronze in 2008 as part of the crew in the men’s eight competition. Beard claimed gold in 1984 as part of the women’s eight crew. Clark earned gold in the men’s eight and silver in the men’s coxed four in 1920 and was later a rear admiral in the Navy. Graves was also part of that gold-medal-winning boat in 1920. Gerhardt received a bronze in 1924 in the coxed four. Sudduth picked up a silver in men’s eight in 1984.
6. Sailing: Emmett Davis, Pierpont Davis, Scott Steele
The brothers Davis were born in Davidsonville and both were crew members of medal-winning boats in the 1932 Games. Pierpont won gold aboard Angelita in 8 meters and Emmett won silver aboard Gallant in 6 meters. Steele was born in Rhode Island but grew up in Annapolis and graduated from Severn School. He claimed silver in Windglider Sailing (also known as windsurfing) in 1984.
7. Sport Shooting: Louis Harant
The Baltimore native was part of the gold-medal-winning team in the 30-meter team rapid-fire pistol event at the 1920 Games. He later served in both World Wars as a first lieutenant in the Army.
8. Men’s Swimming: Greg Burgess, Tommy Hannan, Chase Kalisz, Michael Phelps
Swimming was the only sport I broke up by gender due to the sheer number of medalists. Baltimore native Burgess claimed silver in the 200-meter medley in 1992 before going on to serve as a Marines major. Baltimore native Hannan (Mount Saint Joseph) was part of the 4×100-meter medley relay team that won gold in 2000. Bel Air native Kalisz (Fallston) took silver in the 400-meter medley in 2016 before returning to win gold in the event in 2020. Phelps is a little-known athlete who grew up in Rodgers Forge, went to Towson High School and then … became the most decorated Olympian of all time (28 medals and 23 gold, including a record eight golds at a single Olympiad in 2008).
9. Women’s Swimming: Beth Botsford, Debbie Meyer, Anita Nall, Wendy Weinberg Weil
Timonium native Botsford (Garrison Forest) won a pair of golds (100-meter backstroke, 4×100-meter medley relay) in 1996 when she was just 15. Annapolis native Meyer won three golds (200-meter, 400-meter and 800-meter freestyle) in 1968. Timonium native Nall (Towson Catholic) won gold (4×100-meter medley relay), silver (100-meter breaststroke) and bronze (200-meter breaststroke) in 1992. Baltimore native Weinberg Weil (Friends School) won bronze in the 800-meter freestyle in 1976.
10. Synchronized Swimming: Jill Sudduth
Sudduth was born in Baltimore but moved to California at a young age. She was part of the gold-medal-winning synchronized swimming (now known as artistic swimming) team in 1996.
11. Tennis: Pam Shriver, Basil Spalding de Garmendia
Baltimore native Shriver (McDonogh) teamed with Zina Garrison to claim gold in women’s doubles in 1988. Baltimore native Spalding de Garmendia teamed with France’s Max Decugis (apparently that was allowed in 1900) to claim men’s doubles silver.
12. Track And Field: Matthew Centrowitz, Robert Garrett, Bernard Williams
Arnold native Centrowitz (Broadneck) won gold in the 1500 meters in 2016, becoming the first American gold medalist in the event since 1908. Baltimore County native Garrett competed at the very first Olympics in 1896, winning gold in the shot put and discus throw plus silver in the high jump and long jump. He returned in 1900, adding a pair of bronze medals in the shot put and standing triple jump. Baltimore native Williams (Carver) won gold in 2000 as part of the 4×100 meter relay team and silver in 2004 in the 200 meters.
13. Triathlon: Katie Zaferes
Hampstead native Zaferes (North Carroll) claimed a silver in the mixed team relay event and a bronze in the individual event in 2020.
14. Volleyball: Aaron Russell
Ellicott City native Russell (Centennial) was part of the men’s volleyball team that won bronze in 2016. He will look to add to his medal tally in Paris.
15. Wrestling: Lloyd Keaser, Kyle Snyder
Pumphrey native Keaser (Brooklyn Park) claimed silver in the men’s freestyle (68kg) in 1976 and later coached at Wilde Lake. Woodbine native Snyder won gold in the men’s freestyle (97kg) in 2016 and silver in the same event in 2021.
Originally published June 19, 2024