Purdue Olympians earn four medals, including first female Boilermaker to win gold

Amanda Elmore, a Purdue alumna, is the first female Boilermaker to win a gold medal and the fifth Boilermaker since 1900. Elmore was part the U.S. women’s eight rowing team in Rio. (Photo provided)

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue University Olympians won four medals in Rio, including alumna Amanda Elmore who won a gold in rowing for the U.S. women’s eight rowing team. Elmore is the first female Purdue Olympian to win a gold, and the fifth Boilermaker to win an Olympic gold medal since 1900. 

Purdue alumnus David Boudia and student Steele Johnson also won silver medals in synchronized diving, and Boudia earned a bronze in the individual 10-meter platform diving.

Other Purdue Olympians who participated in the 2016 games are:

Students:

• Jinq En Phee, Malaysia, Swimming, turned in a time of 1 minute, 10 seconds in her first Olympics as she competed in the 100-meter breaststroke.
• Carmiesha Cox, Bahamas, Track and Field, recorded a lap time of 50.91 seconds in the 4-by-400-meter relay. The Bahamas team did not make it to the finals.

Steele Johnson (left), a student in the College of Liberal Arts; and David Boudia, a Purdue alumnus, earned a silver medal in synchronized diving during the 2016 Rio Olympics. (Photo provided) Download image

Alumni:

• Aya Traore, Senegal, Basketball, saved the best for last as she dropped in her Olympic-best 12 points along with two assists in Senegal’s final preliminary game against Serbia.
• Kara Winger, USA, Track and Field, finished in 13th place, less than an inch from reaching the finals in the javelin with a distance of 61.02 feet. She was first woman ever to represent Purdue in track and field with her appearance in the 2008 Beijing Games.
• Paula Reto, South Africa, Women's Golf, rebounded from a 3-over-par first round to finish tied for 16th place.

Coaches:

• Adam Soldati, Purdue’s head diving coach, served as an assistant diving coach for Team USA.
• Kurt Felix, Grenada, Decathalon, shed his title as Purdue Track and Field volunteer assistant coach to compete and finish ninth in the world with a personal record 8,323 points for Grenada. 
• Kevin Sauer, Purdue alumnus and head coach of women’s rowing at the University of Virginia, coached Meghan O’Leary and Ellen Tomek in the women’s double sculls rowing competition. The team finished in 6th place.

Writer: Amy Patterson Neubert, 765-494-9723, apatterson@purdue.edu

Brian Huchel, 765-494-2084, bhuchel@purdue.edu