This summer has been a time full of international competition. From the Copa America to the European Championships, many athletes have been representing their countries all over the world. But the biggest international event of the summer was the Olympics. Taking place in Paris, France from Jul. 26 to Aug. 11, athletes from 202 different committees competed in many different events to determine the best in the world. Among the competing athletes were three Iona alumni ready to show the world their skills.
Going in order of when the events started, first up was Juana Camilión ‘22, ‘23MA. Camilión played for the Gaels from 2018-2023, where she won the MAAC Defensive Player of the Year in 2022 and 2023, the latter season being where she won MAAC Player of the Year as well. Currently playing for Movistar Estudiantes in Spain’s Liga Femenina de Baloncesto, she was selected to represent Spain for 3×3 basketball. As a member of the team, she helped Spain’s women’s 3×3 basketball team win a silver while averaging 3.1 points and 2.6 rebounds across 9 games.
The other two athletes competing both competed in the Athletics events, better known to most people as Track and Field, with those two being Leonard Korir ‘12 and Maël Gouyette ‘23MA.
Korir ran track for the Gaels from 2009 to 2012, winning two national championships in the Indoor 5k and the Outdoor 10k races. For the 2024 Olympics, Korir was selected by the United States of America to run in the Men’s Marathon event. Korir would place 63rd out of 81 total competitors with 71, including Korir, finishing the race.
Gouyette ran track for the Gaels in the 2022-23 cross country, indoor, and outdoor track seasons, and made it to nationals for the indoor track season. France selected Gouyette to run in the Men’s 1500m dash, where he would not make it out of qualifying.
While not an alumna of the university, Emma Hayes coached the Iona Women’s Soccer program from the 2003 season to the 2005 season. Today, she is currently the manager of the women’s soccer team for the United States of America, a gold-winning team at the Olympics this summer.
This summer was also when a pre-qualifying tournament for the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup took place in Rwanda. Representing the Philippines was current Iona Women’s Basketball team member Ella Fajardo ‘25, who averaged 3.3 points, 2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists as the Filipino women’s national team finished winless across 3 games played in their group.
Information can be found on ionagaels.com, olympics.com, and fiba.basketball.
