Miners Go for Gold as Current, Former Track and Field Athletes Head to Tokyo Summer Games
Last Updated on July 23, 2021 at 12:00 AM
Originally published July 23, 2021
By UC Staff
UTEP Communications
Several past, present and future student-athletes from UTEP’s track and field program will represent their home countries at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, and for some, this isn’t their first Olympic appearance.
Seven former and current student-athletes, one current student and a UTEP signee will compete in this year’s games across multiple events. One of the Olympians, Blessing Okagbare, previously claimed the bronze medal in the long jump at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Okagbare will make her fourth Olympics appearance this year.
Since 1952, more than 70 individuals from UTEP’s track and field program have competed in the Olympic Games. The Miners were awarded 15 Olympic medals with Bob Beamon of Mexico City and Ria Stalman of Los Angeles winning gold in 1968 and 1984, respectively.
The Miners competing in the Olympics are:
- Tobi Amusan
- Ned Azemia
- Sean Bailey
- Loubna Benhadja
- Asa Guevara
- Emmanuel Korir
- Churandy Martina
- Blessing Okagbare
- Michael Saruni
Tobi Amusan
Nigeria, 100m hurdles
Amusan will make her second appearance at the Olympics. When she was a freshman at UTEP in 2016, she advanced to the semifinals in the 100m hurdles in Rio de Janeiro. Amusan was a two-time All-American with the Miners in the 100m hurdles, including a first team honoree in 2017. Amusan holds the school record in the 100m hurdles (12.57) and 200m dash (22.92).
Asa Guevara
Trinidad and Tobago, 4x400m relay
Guevara will compete in his first Olympic games. In 2018, Guevara won the men's 400m dash at the C-USA Championships with a time of 45.26. Recently, Guevara and his team for Trinidad & Tobago won the men's 4x400m relay at the 2019 World Athletic Relays in Yokohama, Japan.
Blessing Okagbare
Nigeria, 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay
Okagbare will make her fourth Olympic appearance. In 2008, she claimed a bronze medal in the long jump at the Olympics in Beijing. Okagbare was a seven-time All-American at UTEP and holds the school record in the 100m dash (11.10), long jump (6.88 [20-07]) and triple jump (13.97 [45-10]).