Olympic Postponement Impacts Wolfpack Hopefuls

State alumnus Lucas Kozeniesky has already qualified for the Tokyo Games while several others have qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials that may or may not be held because of the coronavirus crisis

NC State athletes both past and present are keeping a close watch of the news surrounding this summer's Olympic Games in Tokyo, which are in danger of being postponed because of the coronavirus crisis.

Although a cancelation of the Games does not appear to be an option at this point, the International Olympic Committee and Japan agreed Tuesday to postpone the event until 2021. The Olympics are scheduled to begin on July 24.

At least one athlete with Wolfpack ties has already qualified to compete in Tokyo. 

Lucas Kozeniesky, who graduated in 2017, earned his spot on the U.S. team in Colorado Springs, Col., on Feb. 9 when he finished first at the Olympic Trials in air rifle, tying the relay world record in the process with a score of 633.5.

This will be Kozeniesky's second Olympics. He finished 21st at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro and has since earned a gold medal at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru last year. The former All-American is the first ever State shooter to compete in an Olympics.

Another former Wolfpack All-American who figures to be in Tokyo is wrestler Nick Gwiazdowski.

The two-time NCAA champion who has represented the U.S. in the past two World Championships and won gold at the Pan Am Games last year, is the favorite to earn the spot he helped gain for his country at 275 pounds by winning the Pan Am Olympic Qualifier in Canada last week.

Other former State wrestlers slated to compete for spots on the U.S. team are fellow national champion Michael Macchiavello and Tommy Gantt. Former Duke All-American Jacob Kasper also now trains full-time with the Wolfpack Wrestling Club.

State also had potential Olympians in the pool and on the track.

Current swimming & diving team members Coleman Stewart, Ky-Lee Perry and Makayla Sargent have all qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials. Stewart is a two-time NCAA champion who was recently named MVP of the ACC Championship meet. 

Andreas Vazaios (Greece) and Tamila Holub (Portugal) have already qualified for the Olympics from their home countries while others, including 2016 gold medalist Ryan Held (U.S) are also in contention for berths. It's a group that also includes fellow 2016 Olympian Anton Ipsen of Denmark (pictured above), Nyls Korstanje of the Netherlands, Sophie Hansson of Sweden, Giovanni Izzo  of Italy and American Hannah Moore.

Softball player Tatania Forbes, who has announced plans to return to State for an extra year of eligibility leading up to the Games in 2021, is a member of the Mexican Olympic team..

State has at least three Olympic hopefuls among its alumni. Pole valuter Grant Rivers, competing for Bermuda, is the national record-holder in that country with a leap of 13-feet, 11 3/4 inches. Distance runner Sam Parsons is the current German champion in the 3,000 meters and a World Championship qualifier in the 5,000 while Ryan Hill finished second last year in the 5,000 meters at the U.S. Track & Field Championships.

One other Olympic possibility, ACC women's basketball tournament MVP Aislinn Konig has already received bad news when her native Canada announced that it would not participate in the Games if they're held as scheduled.

But the sharpshooting guard, who played for Canada in the Pan AM games last summer, told a radio station in Vancouver last week that she's still holding out hope of representing her country in Tokyo should the Games be postponed.

"That's another thing we're waiting to hear on," Konig told TSN 1040. "I'm definitely going to stay in shape and be prepared, but still waiting for information on all those things."