Maverick Athletes Take On Tokyo

The world’s most prominent display of athleticism took place last year in Tokyo with the Summer Olympics and the Paralympics. UTA was well-represented in both, with two athletes in the Olympics and 14 in the Paralympics.

Zoe Voris, a sophomore studying photography, is a member of Team USA’s Women’s Wheelchair Basketball squad. She’s been playing wheelchair basketball since she was 9 years old.

“When I’m training with my teammates, I think about how, at one point, they were in the same place that I’m in now as a student at UTA.”

“I love getting my story out there so the younger generation of girls coming up can see that if I can do it, they can do it, too,” she says. “I was extremely hesitant to try out for Tokyo, but eventually I said ‘yes’ because I’m dedicated to bettering myself, and I want to be successful at the highest level possible.”

The Chicago native joined UT Arlington and Lady Movin’ Mavs alumni Josie Aslakson, Rose Hollermann, and Darlene Hunter—making Team USA’s 12-person squad one-third Maverick. The U.S. won the women’s wheelchair basketball gold in 2016 and took the bronze in Tokyo.

“When I’m training with my teammates, I think about how, at one point, they were in the same place that I’m in now as a student at UTA and playing for the Lady Movin’ Mavs,” Voris says. “They’re the ones I’ve been in awe of, and now they are my teammates. I was so excited to experience this with them. It is a memory that we’ll share forever.”

Ray Hennagir seizes the ball in a match against Team New Zealand.
PHOTO CREDIT: Rugby: Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images for New Zealand Paralympic Committee

Earlier in the summer, UTA once again had representation in the Olympics, with Emil Blomberg, a 2015 graduate, representing his native Sweden in the 3000-meter steeplechase, and current aerospace engineering student Austen Jewell Smith representing Team USA in women’s skeet shooting. Blomberg finished 13th in his heat and Smith finished 10th overall.

UT Arlington has been strongly represented at the Olympics over the years. Including last year, UTA has had at least one former athlete at the Olympics in 11 of the previous 14 Games.

Maverick Olympians of the Past

Russell won two gold medals in the 100 butterfly and 4x100 medley relay. He was the first-ever athlete to win the 100 butterfly, as the event was introduced at the 1968 Olympics.

Doug Russell
USA | Swimming
1968 – Mexico City

Lanny Bassham
USA | Rifle
1972 – Munich
1976 – Montreal

Larry Dowler
USA | Swimming
1976 – Montreal

David Peltier
Barbados | Track & Field
1984 – Los Angeles

Joseph Sainah
Kenya | Track & Field
1988 – Seoul

Bassham won silver in 1972. He won gold in the 1976 Games after initially tying for first place with Margaret Murdock in the mixed 50-meter rifle at three positions. Following a closer review of the targets, officials deemed Bassham the winner. Bassham asked Murdock to share the top awards podium with him, which she did. “I told Margaret, ‘I can’t get you a gold medal, but I can get you the national anthem,’” Bassham said in a story for Olympics.com. “‘[On] the first note of the national anthem, step up and we will stand together. As far as I am concerned, you deserve an Olympic gold medal’.”

Peter Dajia
Canada | Track & Field
1992 – Barcelona

McClinton Neal
USA | Track & Field
1992 – Barcelona

Elston Cawley
Jamaica | Track & Field
1996 – Atlanta

Karin Olsson
Sweden | Bobsleigh
2002 – Salt Lake City

Takeshi Fujiwara
El Salvador | Track & Field
2004 – Athens

Jared Connaughton
Canada | Track & Field
2008 – Beijing
2012 – London

Derrick Obasohan
Nigeria | Basketball
2012 – London