Two former San Diego State University athletes are set to compete at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games.
Former Aztec track and field star Shanieka Ricketts Thomas (2011-14) will represent Jamaica in the triple jump, while Xander Schauffele (2013-15) will play for the United States in men’s golf.
Ricketts, the flag bearer for Jamaica at the Opening Ceremony, is set to begin the qualifying flights for the triple jump on Friday, Aug. 2, at 9:15 a.m. PDT at the Stade de France with the finals slated for Saturday, Aug. 3 at 11:20 a.m. PDT. Ricketts was a three-time NCAA triple jump champion (2013-14 outdoor, 2014 indoor) and a two-time runner-up finisher (2012 outdoor, 2013 indoor) while at San Diego State. She qualified for Paris after winning the Jamaican Senior National Championships with a mark of 14.50 meters (47-07.00). A member of the Aztec Hall of Fame, Ricketts will look to improve on her 2020 Tokyo Olympics where she came in fourth place — one rung off the podium — at 14.84m (48-08.25). Ricketts also tied for 13th at the 2016 Rio Olympics at 14.02m (46-00.00).
The third men’s golf competition at the Olympics, meanwhile, will take place Aug. 1-4 at Le Golf National. The competition will feature four 18-hole rounds beginning at midnight PDT each day with the victory ceremony slated to follow on Aug. 4.
Schauffele is the defending Olympic champion in men’s golf after capturing the stroke play event at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics at 18-under 266, one stroke ahead of Slovakia’s Rory Sabbatini. Schauffele became just the fourth men’s golf player in Olympic history to capture a gold medal while competing in his first Olympic Games and the second American, joining Charlie Sands in 1900. The other gold medal winners in the event include George Lyon (Canada) in 1904 and Justin Rose (Great Britain) in 2016. Schauffele captured his second major of the season by winning The Open at 9-under 275 at Royal Troon Golf Course in Troon, Scotland, on July 14-21.
In the four major appearances this season, Schauffele had two wins, tied for seventh at the U.S. Open and came in eighth at The Masters. In 30 career majors, Schauffele now has two victories, two runner-ups, eight top-5s and 15 top-10s. He now has nine PGA Tour victories.
Schauffele was a third-team All-American in 2015 from both Golfweek and GCAA, while also finishing as a three-time all-Mountain West selection and seven- time MW Golfer of the Week. He finished his three-year Aztec career with two individual titles, 16 top-5 finishes and 21 top-10 showings.
Also representing SDSU in Paris will be former track and field star and current Long Beach State head coach, LaTanya Sheffield. This will be the fourth Olympic Games of her career, all as a member of Team USA, with 2024 representing her first as the head women’s coach. She previously served as Team USA’s sprints, hurdles and relays coach at the 2016 Rio Olympics and 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Her Olympic debut came as a finalist in the 400m hurdles at the 1988 Games in South Korea.
A 1993 inductee into the San Diego State Hall of Fame, Sheffield established an American record in 1985 and still holds the Aztecs’ program record in the event at 54.64 seconds. She was the 1985 NCAA Champion in the 400m hurdles and a two-time All-American in her time on Montezuma Mesa.
A San Diego native, Schauffele attended Scripps Ranch High School where he won the 2011 California State high school golf championship. He won the California Amateur Championship in 2014. He earned Third Team All-American honors all years at SDSU.
