Sam Kendricks, a former star of the Ole Miss track and field team and native of Oxford, has returned from Paris with an Olympic silver medal. Kendricks secured the silver in the men’s pole vault on Monday, achieving a height of 5.95 meters.
Armand Duplantis from Sweden took home the gold medal, while Emmanouil Karalis of Greece earned the bronze. Kendricks successfully cleared the 5.95-meter bar on his first attempt but was unable to surpass the six-meter mark. His personal best stands at 6.06 meters.
This marks Kendricks’ third Olympic appearance. He previously won a bronze medal in the 2016 Games but missed the Tokyo Olympics due to a positive COVID-19 test, as he was unvaccinated. Initially considering not to compete in Paris, Kendricks ultimately decided to participate after winning at the Olympic Trials in June.
By earning the silver medal, he became the first Ole Miss athlete to reach the podium at the 2024 Games. Kendricks, who left Ole Miss in 2014, was a two-time NCAA champion and also won two SEC titles during his collegiate career.
Former Ole Miss athlete McKenzie Long is also in contention for a medal, competing in the women’s 200-meter semifinals on Monday, with the finals scheduled for Tuesday. Long capped off her Ole Miss career this spring with three NCAA titles.
For updates on Ole Miss football, transfer Princely Umanmielen recently provided insights into his injury recovery ahead of his debut.