Coached by KU’s Redwine, Team USA men’s track became Paris Olympic success story

Veteran University of Kansas track coach Stanley Redwine’s stint as the 2024 U.S. men’s Olympics head track and field coach was a resounding success.

The Team USA’s men’s track squad won seven gold medals, six silver medals and five bronze medals at the 2024 Paris Games, which concluded with closing ceremonies on Sunday.

Three years ago, at the Tokyo Olympics, the U.S. men did not win a single individual race. In France, the U.S. men claimed individual gold medals in five events on the track, plus one field event and one relay.

The men’s team won 18 medals and the U.S. women’s squad 16 for a combined 34 — the most by Team USA track and field since the 1984 Los Angeles Games.

Gold medals attained by the Team USA men: Noah Lyles (100), Cole Hocker (1500), Quincy Hall (400), Grant Holloway (110 hurdles), Rai Benjamin (400 hurdles), Ryan Crouser (shot put) and the 1,600 relay team of Benjamin, Christopher Bailey, Vernon Norwood and Bryce Deadmon.

The six silver medals attained by Team USA track: Kenneth Rooks (3,000 steeplechase), Kenny Bednarek (men’s 200), Daniel Roberts (100 hurdles), Joe Kovacs (shot put), Sam Kendricks (pole vault) and Shelby McEwen (high jump).

The five bronze medals were claimed by: Grant Fisher (10,000 and 5,000); Fred Kerley (100), Yared Nuguse (1500) and Lyles (200).

Redwine’s Team USA men’s squad medaled in nine of 10 individual track races — the most for any country since the first time all of these events were included as part of the Olympic program in 1920.

In Tokyo in 2021, the U.S. men medaled in five of these individual events, which include sprints, middle- and long-distance races and hurdles.

According to the Washington Post’s Rick Maese, “It’s rare for a team to finish on the podium in more than a few of these events. Since 2000, the United States and Kenya are the only countries that have medaled in at least half of these 10 (individual) races at a single Olympics.”

The only men’s race in which the U.S. men didn’t medal in Paris was the 800. In that event, former KU standout Bryce Hoppel placed fourth in an American-record time of 1 minute, 41.67 seconds.

“I’ve witnessed every minute of this Olympic journey. Trust me, @StanleyRedwine’s fingerprints are all over this historic performance. #rockchalk Redwine,” wrote Tim Weaver, the former Kansas Relays meet director who served as event manager for Team USA track and field at the 2024 Olympics, on social media site X.

The track teams of Redwine and Team USA women’s coach LaTanya Sheffield apparently had great chemistry, a trait that could be traced to the head coaches and their assistants, as well as the close-knit competitors.

“When you’re down there (on the track) and you’re mingling with everyone, you kind of get the sense, OK, the ball is rolling here. Everyone is doing it,” sprinter Benjamin said of earning medals.

“Maybe fighting for a podium is contagious,” two-time gold medalist distance runner Fisher told the Washington Post. “You see guys getting medals fighting for a higher position than they were projected, and when you see that, you think it’s possible for yourself.”

Fisher added: “This will be a pretty historic meet when you look back on track and field. Hopefully, this will lead into 2028 and we’ll have another good one there.”

Considering the performance of the USA men and women’s squads, one wouldn’t be surprised to see the Redwine/Sheffield coaching duo invited back for future Games. There’s a lot of positive energy surrounding USA Track and Field following these Olympics, and the 2028 Games are set for Los Angeles.

“With each heave and every leap, each burst out of the blocks and every lean across the line here, they (U.S. track and field competitors) reset the course of American track and field,” wrote Maese of the Post.

“Virtually everyone had a turn at these Paris Games. The Americans exceeded expectations at Stade de France and bounced back from a subpar showing in Tokyo, winning 34 track and field medals, including 14 golds. It’s the United States’ best track and field showing since the 1984 Games in Los Angeles, where it won 40 medals, 16 gold on home soil. The Americans reached the podium in 20 of the 35 track and field events held at Stade de France. Had U.S. track and field stars somehow sought status as an independent nation, their 14 golds would be tied for sixth on the overall Olympic medal table, ahead of countries such as Germany, Italy and Canada.”

The 63-year-old Redwine, who is beginning his 25th year as KU track coach, was selected as coach of the men’s Olympic squad back in early March.

“I am honored for the opportunity and am excited that I get to be around the other coaches from other schools and just to help Team USA get better. Being around those athletes, there’s not a lot that they really need from me, but I will get more out of it than they will. Just to serve them is a great opportunity,” Redwine said at the time.

Redwine was assistant coach for Team USA at the 2015 Pan-American Games. He was assistant coach for Team USA at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. In 2022, he was Team USA men’s head coach at the IAAF World Outdoor Championship, before his appointment as the head coach for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Event manager Weaver, a KU grad, previously served as meet director for the Kansas Relays (2000-06). He has been on 22 international staffs as a manager and coach; he was manager for the Olympic Teams in 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020.

Redwine, a former head coach at Tulsa and assistant at Arkansas, directed the Kansas women’s team to the 2013 NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon. That marked the first women’s team title in KU history. He has coached 20 individual champions, 240 All-Americans and 12 Olympians at KU.

In his own athletic career, Redwine qualified for five consecutive U.S. Olympic Trials from 1980-96, while also competing for Team USA at the World Championships in 1985, 1987, 1989, 1991 and 1993. And he was a two-time U.S. 800-meter champion.

Kansas had two fourth-place finishers at this year’s Olympics: Hoppel (800 meters) and Sharon Lokedi (marathon). KU had just one medalist, in basketball standout Joel Embiid. Prior to Embiid, KU’s last Olympic medalist was Kyle Clemons, who struck gold in the 4x400-meter relay at the 2016 Games in Rio De Janeiro.