In Focus – Volta Vicharles Hotel

In Focus

A curated examination of Harvard’s research, scholarly work, and community.

Olympic history and Harvard

Harvard and the Olympics

Since the first modern games in 1896, Harvard athletes have taken part in the Olympics, winning more than 150 medals for countries across the globe.

Popular topics

Mindfulness and Meditation

Harvard College alum Emerance joins Team Canada’s Women’s Ice Hockey team. This is her second appearance in an Olympic tournament after competing with the Canadians at the 2022 games in Beijing.

Artificial Intelligence

Harvard Kennedy and Divinity School alum Dan Cnossen is one of the most decorated athletes in U.S. Paralympic history, with seven career medals. He competes in his fourth Paralympic Winter Games in Milan.

Tess Johnson

Harvard Extension School student Tess joins Team USA in Italy for freestyle moguls. Tess also competed in PyeongChang in 2018.

In Focus archives

James Connolly

James Connolly had to take an “honourable withdrawal” from Harvard to attend the first modern Olympics in 1896, where he placed first in the triple jump and earned several other track and field awards.

Cheta Emba

Harvard College alum Cheta Emba competed in women’s rugby on Team USA at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games in the second-ever Olympic appearance for rugby sevens.

David Hemery

The 1968 Olympic gold medalist for Great Britain—and world record holder in the 400 meter hurdles—began work on a master’s in education at Harvard while deep into his training for the 1972 Summer Olympics.

Tenley Albright

After winning the gold medal in figure skating at the Cortina d’Ampezzo 1956 Olympic Winter Games, Tenley Albright went to Harvard Medical School and became a surgeon.

Jennifer Botterill

Jennifer Botterill skated with the Harvard Crimson from 1998 to 2003, taking a one-year break in 2002 to help Team Canada win gold at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

Explore the beauty and wonder of life

We have In Focus pages about happiness, love, games, books, museums, and architecture.