Kentuckians participating in the 2012 Summer Olympics

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July 27, 2012; London, United Kingdom; Athletes from the USA led by flagbearer Mariel Zagunis enter the stadium during the Opening Ceremony for the 2012 London Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

I have yet to see any of the opening ceremony of this year’s Summer Olympics in London, but according to a friend of mine who worked and participated in the event, she said it was amazing. With nearly every country and territory in the world represented, it is truly the one opportune moment where peopel from all corners of the world can gather and compete in various events, all in the name of sportsmanship. Many first-world countries have hundreds of athlets compared to some countries that are represented by a few athletes in particular.

That got me thinking, on a smaller scale, how many athletes are representing the University of Kentucky as well as the Bluegrass State in this year’s olympics? There are multiple athletes, coaches, among others, that represent either UK or the state of Kentucky in some manner. Not all athletes represent either both the school or the state, such as Anthony Davis, who is a Chicago native. But other athlets, such as Tyson Gay, represent the state and the USA on the grand stage, but have no affiliation with UK.

The Lexington Herald-Leader compiled a list of the athletes and coaches with Kentucky connections in the olympics. Considering that there are multiple sports and events running simultaneously, it can be tough to keep up with all the names. As for those participating tomorrow, Carlos Almeida (University of Louisville, swimming), Claire Donahue (Western Kentucky University, swimming), Lee Kiefer (Paul Laurence Dunbar, fencing), and Angel McCoughtry (University of Louisville, women’s basketball) have no affiliation with UK.