Going for Gold and Blue: SJSU’s Olympic Timeline

San José State has been a part of nearly every Summer Olympic Games since 1924. Spartans have competed, coached or earned medals, while representing the United States and countries around the globe.

Collage of baseball, judo, waterpolo and track athletes.

Seven SJSU Spartans will participate in the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo from July 23 to August 8. (L-R) Suzy Brookshire Gonzales, Colton Brown, Clara Espar Llaquet, Michelle Cox, Robyn Stevens, Emma Entzminger (Not pictured: Coach Greg Massialas).

2020

Tokyo, Japan

  • Suzy Brookshire Gonzales
    Mexico softball
  • Colton Brown
    Judo
  • Michelle Cox
    Softball, bronze medal, representing Canada
  • Clara Espar Llaquet
    Water polo, silver medal, representing Spain
  • Stacey Johnson
    Fencing
  • Robyn Stevens
    USA women’s track and field
  • Coach Greg Massialas
    USA fencing head coach

2016

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

  • Colton Brown
    Judo
  • Marti Malloy
    Judo
  • Greg Massialas
    Fencing, head coach

2012

London, United Kingdom

  • Marti Malloy
    Judo, Lightweight, bronze medal
  • Greg Massialas
    Fencing, head coach

2016: The Road to Rio

This summer, watch out for Spartan and 2012 Olympic bronze medalist Marti Malloy and Colton Brown. Follow these Spartans as they prepare for the Games:
Olympic Torch

Colton Brown: @colt_forty_5 (Photo: David Schmitz).

Marti Malloy: @Martidamus (Photo: Christina Olivas).

  Watch Marti Malloy and Colton Brown train.

2008

Beijing, China

  • Greg Massialas
    Fencing, head coach
  • Taylor Takata
    Judo, 145 pounds
  • Peter Ueberroth
    United States Olympic Committee chairman

2004 | Athens, Greece

2000

Sydney, Australia

  • Sandy Bacher
    Judo, 158 pounds
  • Amy Tong
    Judo, 171 pounds

1996

Atlanta, United States

  • Sandy Bacher
    Judo, 158 pounds
  • Damon Keeve
    Judo, Heavyweight
  • Liliko Ogasawara
    Judo, 146 pounds
  • Jill Sudduth
    Synchronized Swimming, gold medal
  • Mike Swain
    Judo, coach

1992

Barcelona, Spain

  • Sandy Bacher
    Judo, 158 pounds
  • Jim Doehring
    Track and Field, Shot Put, 2nd place
  • Damon Keeve
    Judo, Heavyweight
  • Mike Swain
    Judo
  • Nort Thornton
    Swimming, assistant coach
  • Joe Wanag
    Judo, 189 pounds
  • Angie Wester-Krieg
    Swimming, 200 Butterfly, 6th place

1988

Seoul, South Korea

  • Kevin Asano
    Judo, 132 pounds, silver medal
  • Bob Berland
    Judo
  • Kjell Bystedt
    Track and Field, Hammer, represented Sweden
  • Jim Doehring
    Track and Field, Shot Put, 11th place
  • Greg Massialas
    Fencing
  • Mike Swain
    Judo, 156 pounds, bronze medal

1984

Los Angeles, United States

  • Sue Baross
    Synchronized Swimming, Australian team head coach
  • Bob Berland
    Judo, 189 pounds, silver medal
  • Ed Burke
    Hammer Throw
  • George Haines
    Swimming, men’s and women’s assistant coach
  • Steve Hamann
    Water Polo, silver medal
  • Karly Kancsar
    Greco-Roman Wrestling, assistant coach
  • Paul Maruyama
    Judo, head coach
  • Greg Massialas
    Fencing
  • Gerardo Padilla
    Judo, represented Mexico
  • John Powell
    Track and Field, Discus, bronze medal
  • Peter Schifrin
    Fencing
  • Mike Swain
    Judo
  • Peter Ueberroth
    Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee President

1980

Moscow, Soviet Union

U.S. Olympians boycotted the games, per President Carter’s order, but they’re all considered Olympians by USOC

  • Felix Bohni
    Track and Field, Pole Vault, represented Switzerland
  • Dedy Cooper
    Track and Field, 110 Hurdles
  • George Haines
    Swimming, men’s and women’s head coach
  • Gay Jacobsen D’Asaro
    Fencing
  • Stacey Johnson
    Fencing
  • Urs Kamber
    Track and Field, 4×400 meters relay, represented Switzerland
  • Paul Maruyama
    Judo, head coach
  • Greg Massialas
    Fencing
  • Keith Nakasone
    Judo
  • Gerardo Padilla
    Judo, 143 pounds, represented Mexico
  • John Powell
    Track and Field, Discus
  • Dan Ripley
    Track and Field, Pole Vault
  • Mike Swain
    Judo

1976

Montreal, Canada

  • Essodina Atchade
    Track and Field, Long Jump, represented Togo
  • Gay Jacobsen D’Asaro
    Fencing
  • Mike D’Asaro
    Fencing, coach
  • George Haines
    Swimming, men’s assistant coach
  • Simon Kilili
    Track and Field, represented Kenya
  • Marty Lockwood
    Greco-Roman Wrestling, 105.5 pounds, alternate
  • Gerardo Padilla
    Judo, 143 pounds, represented Mexico
  • John Powell
    Track and Field, Discus, bronze medal

1972

Munich, West Germany

  • Bert Bonanno
    Track and Field, Peru team coach
  • Tom Dooley
    Track and Field, 20-Kilometer Walk
  • George Haines
    Swimming, women’s assistant coach
  • Mani Hernandez
    Soccer
  • Mitch Ivey
    Swimming, 100, 200 Back, 400 Medley Relay, silver medal (100 back)
  • Art Lambert
    Water Polo, assistant coach
  • Julius Menendez
    Soccer, assistant coach
  • Chris Popanicolaou
    Track and Field, Pole Vault, represented Greece, 11th place
  • John Powell
    Track and Field, Discus, 4th place
  • George Uchida
    Judo, head coach
  • Lynn Vidali, Swimming
    200 IM and 400 IM, bronze medal (200 IM)
  • Bud Winter
    Track and Field, Madagascar coach
  • Jim Zylker
    Soccer

1968: Track and Field

If SJSU were a country, it would have been second only to the United States for the number of gold medals earned in track and field during the 1968 Games.

061616_olympic_torch_02

Over the course of his track and field coaching career, Bud Winter (left) coached 102 All-Americans, 27 who went on to become Olympians—including Spartan John Carlos (right).

Lee Evans (Photo: David Schmitz).

Ronnie Ray Smith

Tommie Smith (Photo: David Schmitz).

 

1968

Mexico City, Mexico

  • Bert Bonanno
    Track and Field, Mexico team coach
  • Ed Burke
    Hammer Throw
  • John Carlos
    Track and Field, 200 meters, bronze medal
  • Tom Dooley
    Track and Field, 20-Kilometer Walk
  • Lee Evans
    Track and Field, gold medal in 400 and gold medal in 4×400 meters
  • Tom Haine
    Volleyball
  • George Haines
    Swimming, men’s head coach
  • Mitch Ivey
    Swimming, 100, 200 back, 400 medley relay, silver medal in 200 back
  • Art Lambert
    Water Polo, head coach
  • Neville Myton
    Track and Field, 800 meters, represented Jamaica
  • Chris Popanicolaou
    Track and Field, Pole Vault, represented Greece, 4th place
  • Ronnie Ray Smith
    Track and Field, 4×100 meters relay, gold medal
  • Tommie Smith
    Track and Field, 200 meters, gold medal
  • Lynn Vidali
    Swimming, 200 IM and 400 IM, silver medal in 400 IM

1964: The first year judo became an Olympic sport

A member of the first U.S. team, Ben Nighthorse Campbell says: “When you finally get to the Olympics and you march into the stadium behind your own national flag, it’s an experience that’s hard to put into words. But it’s like saying to yourself, ‘Finally, I’ve arrived!’”

061616_olympic_torch_02

Paul Maruyama, 1964 Olympics (Photo: David Schmitz).

Ben Nighthorse Campbell, 1964 Olympics (Photo: David Schmitz).

Yoshiro Uchida, Head Judo Coach (Photo: David Schmitz).

1964

Tokyo, Japan

  • Ed Burke
    Hammer Throw
  • Russ Camilleri
    Freestyle Wrestling, 171.5 pounds
  • Ben Nighthorse Campbell
    Judo, open division
  • Judith Reeder Calpin
    Swimming
  • Mike D’Asaro
    Fencing
  • Jeff Fishback
    Track and Field, Steeplechase
  • George Haines
    Swimming, men’s assistant coach
  • Dennis Johnson
    Track and Field, 100, 200, 4×100 meters relay, represented British West Indies (now Jamaica)
  • Paul Maruyama
    Judo, Lightweight, 5th place
  • Lloyd Murad
    Track and Field, 100, 200, 4×100 meters relay, represented Venezuela
  • Yoshiro Uchida
    Judo, head coach

1960

Rome, Italy

  • Russ Camilleri
    Freestyle Wrestling, 171.5 pounds
  • Harry Campbell Sr.
    Boxing, 132 pounds, quarterfinalist
  • Mike D’Asaro
    Fencing, 4th place
  • George Haines
    Swimming, women’s head coach
  • Dennis Johnson
    Track and Field, 100, 200, 4×100 meters relay, represented British West Indies (now Jamaica)
  • Julius Menendez
    Boxing, head coach
  • Lloyd Murad
    Track and Field, 100, 200, 4×100 meters relay, represented Venezuela, 5th place, 4×100
  • Ray Norton
    Track and Field, 100, 200, 4×100 meters relay, 6th place in both 100 and 200
  • Jimmy Omagbemi
    Track and Field, 100 and 4×100 meters relay, represented Nigeria
  • Bud Winter
    Track and Field, assistant coach

1956

Melbourne, Australia

  • George Mattos
    Track and Field, Pole Vault, 4th place

1952

Helsinki, Finland

  • Chuck Adkins
    Boxing, 139 pounds, gold medal
  • George Mattos
    Track and Field, Pole Vault, 8th place

1948

London, United Kingdom

  • Bob Likins
    Track and Field, Javelin, 8th place
  • Willie Steele
    Track and Field, Long Jump, gold medal

1944 | London, United Kingdom [CANCELLED DUE TO World War II]

1940 | Helsinki, Finland [CANCELLED DUE TO World War II]

1936 | Berlin, Germany

1932

Los Angeles, United States

  • Margaret Jenkins
    Track and Field, Discus, Shot Put

1928

Amsterdam, Netherlands

  • Margaret Jenkins
    Track and Field, Discus, Shot Put

1924

Paris, France

  • Dudley DeGroot (former San José State football coach)
    Rugby

1920 | Antwerp, Belgium

1916 | Berlin, Germany [CANCELLED DUE TO World War I]

1912 | Stockholm, Sweden

1908 | London, United Kingdom

1904 | St. Louis, United States

1900 | Paris, France

1896 | Athens, Greece

 

Spot an omission to the list of Spartans who competed or coached in the Olympics Games? We want to hear from you.

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1 Response

  1. Jim Young says:

    Solid

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