Wray and Galvan Conclude Tokyo 2020 Olympic Debuts
Aug 04, 2021 | Track & Field
MANHATTAN, Kan. – On the biggest stage in all of sports, former Kansas State Wildcat Laura Galvan and current Wildcat Shalysa Wray made their marks at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Galvan and Wray were the first Wildcats to advance to the Olympics since seven former athletes competed in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. Galvan was the first to compete in two events (1,500 and 5,000 meters) at the Games in more than 65 years since Thane Baker competed in three events in 1956.
Galvan opened the competition with the 5,000-meter run on Friday (July 30) and set a new personal-best and Mexico national record time of 15:00.16 to place 11th. She previously set the 5,000-meter national record at the USATF Golden Games on May 9, 2021, with a time of 15:02.48.
On Monday (August 2), Galvan raced in the 1,500-meter run and recorded a time of 4:08.15 to finish 12th in the first heat.
In her first ever Olympic appearance, Wray represented the Cayman Islands in the 400-meter dash. She finished in seventh place, clocking in a time of 53.61. Wray was the first athlete from the Cayman Islands to run the 400-meter dash at the Summer Olympic Games.
The Cayman Islands native was one of only two athletes representing the Cayman Islands in track and field, along with three-time Olympian Kemar Hyman.
For the latest on K-State Track and Field follow @kstatesports and @KStateTFXC on Twitter or Kansas State Track & Field/Cross Country on Facebook.
Galvan and Wray were the first Wildcats to advance to the Olympics since seven former athletes competed in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. Galvan was the first to compete in two events (1,500 and 5,000 meters) at the Games in more than 65 years since Thane Baker competed in three events in 1956.
Galvan opened the competition with the 5,000-meter run on Friday (July 30) and set a new personal-best and Mexico national record time of 15:00.16 to place 11th. She previously set the 5,000-meter national record at the USATF Golden Games on May 9, 2021, with a time of 15:02.48.
On Monday (August 2), Galvan raced in the 1,500-meter run and recorded a time of 4:08.15 to finish 12th in the first heat.
In her first ever Olympic appearance, Wray represented the Cayman Islands in the 400-meter dash. She finished in seventh place, clocking in a time of 53.61. Wray was the first athlete from the Cayman Islands to run the 400-meter dash at the Summer Olympic Games.
The Cayman Islands native was one of only two athletes representing the Cayman Islands in track and field, along with three-time Olympian Kemar Hyman.
For the latest on K-State Track and Field follow @kstatesports and @KStateTFXC on Twitter or Kansas State Track & Field/Cross Country on Facebook.
Players Mentioned
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