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Gunnarsdottir Headed to Paris for Icelandic Olympic Team
7/11/2024 8:57:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
HOUSTON – Rice women's track and field alumna Erna Gunnarsdottir is headed to Paris, France, to represent Iceland in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Gunnarsdottir qualified for the Olympics after setting an Icelandic record in the shot put at the Icelandic Championships with a throw of 17.91m. The mark moved her to a final ranking of 31st in the World Athletics Ranking with a score of 1107.
The throw also cements her place in history as the first female shot putter to ever represent Iceland at the Olympics.
"It means a lot to me to be able to qualify for the Olympics," Gunnarsdottir said. "It's been a dream of mine since I first got into track and field at nine years old. It's amazing to get to represent my small country on a global stage. Being the only track and field athlete from Iceland at the Paris Olympics is a great honour. My journey to get to the Olympics wasn't always easy but I've had a lot of support along the way. I'm really grateful for my athletic career at Rice, and I don't think I would be where I am right now without my journey at Rice."
In addition to being the lone female track and field athlete to represent Iceland at the Paris Olympics, she is the first female track and field athlete to represent Iceland at the Olympic Games since the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games. She is one of five athletes on the Icelandic Olympic Team at this year's games.
"A big congratulations to our newest Olympian, Erna Gunnarsdottir," said Rice women's track and field head coach Jim Bevan. "She worked so hard to achieve this, and now she will compete against the best on the world stage, representing her country of Iceland. She continues an esteemed group of Rice women's track and field Olympians."
Gunnarsdottir becomes the 14th Olympian from Rice women's track and field, and her appearance marks the third straight Olympic Games with a Rice women's track and field athlete competing (Ariana Ince, Tokyo 2021 and Lennie Waite, 2016 Rio de Janeiro).
During her Rice career from 2018-23, Gunnarsdottir earned nine All-Conference honors, five conference titles and four All-American honors. She ranks second all-time in both indoor and outdoor shot put at Rice.
Gunnarsdottir was a five-time CUSA Commissioner's Honor Roll member and four-time USTFCCCA All-Academic.
The Paris Olympic Games will begin on Friday, July 26, and continue through Sunday, August 11. The women's shot put qualifications begin on August 8 with the finals following on August 9.
Gunnarsdottir qualified for the Olympics after setting an Icelandic record in the shot put at the Icelandic Championships with a throw of 17.91m. The mark moved her to a final ranking of 31st in the World Athletics Ranking with a score of 1107.
The throw also cements her place in history as the first female shot putter to ever represent Iceland at the Olympics.
"It means a lot to me to be able to qualify for the Olympics," Gunnarsdottir said. "It's been a dream of mine since I first got into track and field at nine years old. It's amazing to get to represent my small country on a global stage. Being the only track and field athlete from Iceland at the Paris Olympics is a great honour. My journey to get to the Olympics wasn't always easy but I've had a lot of support along the way. I'm really grateful for my athletic career at Rice, and I don't think I would be where I am right now without my journey at Rice."
In addition to being the lone female track and field athlete to represent Iceland at the Paris Olympics, she is the first female track and field athlete to represent Iceland at the Olympic Games since the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games. She is one of five athletes on the Icelandic Olympic Team at this year's games.
"A big congratulations to our newest Olympian, Erna Gunnarsdottir," said Rice women's track and field head coach Jim Bevan. "She worked so hard to achieve this, and now she will compete against the best on the world stage, representing her country of Iceland. She continues an esteemed group of Rice women's track and field Olympians."
Gunnarsdottir becomes the 14th Olympian from Rice women's track and field, and her appearance marks the third straight Olympic Games with a Rice women's track and field athlete competing (Ariana Ince, Tokyo 2021 and Lennie Waite, 2016 Rio de Janeiro).
During her Rice career from 2018-23, Gunnarsdottir earned nine All-Conference honors, five conference titles and four All-American honors. She ranks second all-time in both indoor and outdoor shot put at Rice.
Gunnarsdottir was a five-time CUSA Commissioner's Honor Roll member and four-time USTFCCCA All-Academic.
The Paris Olympic Games will begin on Friday, July 26, and continue through Sunday, August 11. The women's shot put qualifications begin on August 8 with the finals following on August 9.
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