The Tokyo Olympics has begun and UConn athletes are representing several countries.
Athletes who competed during their college days in Connecticut are now representing six nations in sports from basketball to soccer to field hockey, according to UConn Today.
Team USA
UConn is well represented on Team USA, especially the women’s basketball team.
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Basketball
Bird, a four-time WNBA champion, is making her fifth appearance at the Olympics.
Local
Diana Taurasi, 39, of Glendale, California, is a member of the Phoenix Mercury,
Bird and Taurasi were on Team USA when the team won gold in 2004 in Greece, 2008 in Beijing, 2012 in London and 2016 in Rio de Janeiro.
Tina Charles, 32, of Flushing, New York, is a member of the Washington Mystics. She is a 2012 and 2016 Olympic gold medal winner.
Breanna Stewart, 26, Syracuse, New York, won Olympic gold in 2016.
Jennifer Rizzotti, the president of the Connecticut Sun, is an assistant coach.
The U.S. Women's Basketball Team’s first game is set for July 27 against Nigeria.
3X3
Watch Team USA battle France live online here. 3x3 basketball will be featured in TV coverage on NBCSN (12 a.m. to 2 a.m. ET), USA (2 a.m. to 9:50 a.m. ET) and NBC (10:45 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. ET).
Katie Lou Samuelson had been selected for the 3X3 team, but had to withdraw due to COVID protocols.
Team Canada
Women’s Basketball
Kia Nurse, 25, of Hamilton, Ontario, a team member on Team Canada plays for the New York Liberty.
Canada will take on Serbia in the first round.
Soccer
Stephanie Labbé, 34, of Stony Plain, Alberta in Canada, played at UConn from 2005 to 2008.
A goalkeeper, she competed in Rio in 2016 and was part of the team to win bronze.
Team France
Gabby Williams, 24, of Sparks, Nevada, holds dual citizenship in the United States and France, according to UConn Today. She is a member of the Los Angeles Sparks.
France takes on Japan in the first round.
Team Germany
Field Hockey
Germany and Great Britain will be competing in the first round.
Basketball
Niels Giffey, 30, of Berlin, Germany, played for UConn from 2010-2014 and, UConn Today reports, won NCAA championships with the team 2011 and 2014.
Germany and Italy will be competing.
Team Ireland
Roisin Upton, 27, of Limerick, Ireland, was a member of the 2013 and 2014 NCAA Championship squads with UConn, according to UConn Today.
Ireland and South Africa will be competing.
Team Japan
Basketball
Gavin Edwards, 33, of Gilbert, Arizona, played basketball at UConn from 2006 to 2010.
Japan will take on Spain.
Paralympics
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