PARIS, France — The 2024 Paris Olympics wrapped up with a star-studded closing ceremony Sunday night that featured a skydiving Tom Cruise, plus Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre performing on Los Angeles' Venice Beach, ushering in the LA 2028 Olympics.
Local 5 has been tracking all of the Iowa athletes, those born in the state or those who competed collegiately here — that competed for an Olympic medal.
Here are the athletes who won an Olympic medal and made their mark on Paris.
Kenny Bednarek
USA, track & field
The Indian Hills Community College alum Bednarek participated in three medal events in Paris: 100m, 200m and men's 4x100m relay.
The 25-year-old affectionately known as "Kung Fu Kenny" took home the silver medal in the 200 meters, posting a time of 19.62 seconds.
"LA 2028 is in my sights and I’m aiming for one thing: 3 gold medals," Bednarek said in an Instagram post.
Brittany Brown
USA, track & field
Brittany Brown, a University of Iowa alum, qualified for the 200-meter final along with two other Team USA runners.
Brown finished third with a time of 22.20 seconds, winning a bronze medal for Team USA.
In an Instagram video, Brown reflected on her time as a Hawkeye.
"I won my first medal while I was training at Iowa in 2019," Brown said. "I love that I feel all the support from the Iowa Hawkeye fans and to be a part of that class of people who have medaled at the University, it's just a great feeling."
Tyrese Haliburton
USA, men's basketball
The former Iowa State Cyclone and current Indiana Pacers star may not have had much playing time on the court, tallying only 26 total minutes throughout the tournament, but he still can call himself an Olympic champion.
He also gets the distinct honor to have the only gold medal in Cyclone men's basketball program history.
Haliburton was able to poke fun at his role on Team USA's path to gold in a post to X, writing "When you ain't do nun on the group project and still get an A."
Kennedy Blades
USA, women's wrestling
Despite not stepping onto campus yet, Blades made Iowa Hawkeye history after winning the silver medal in the 76kg freestyle women's wrestling final. This is the very first Olympic medal in Hawkeye women's wrestling history.
Blades signed a national letter of intent with the Iowa Hawkeyes in July, and looks to have a bright future for the black-and-gold.
Spencer Lee
USA, men's wrestling
From one future Hawkeye to a former Hawkeye, Lee also left Paris with a silver medal. He fell to Rei Higuchi of Japan 4-2 in the men's freestyle 57kg gold medal match.
The former three-time NCAA Champion reflected on his silver.
"I also want to thank the Hawkeye wrestling club and all the fans for the incredible support," he wrote in an Instagram post Sunday. "To see so many fans travel for team USA and myself was an honor...Go USA and Go Hawks!"
Eve Stewart
Great Britain, women's rowing
Eve Stewart was part of the Great Britain Women's Eight rowing team that won the bronze medal Saturday morning with a time of 5:59.51.
Romania won the gold at 5:54.39 and Canada the silver at 5:58.84.
Stewart sat in Seat 6, which according to British Rowing, indicates someone who "needs to be technically strong with a simple legs-on, back-through movement which the middle four then pin their rhythm around."
Stewart is part of Leander Club and attended the University of Iowa.
"I tried rowing, and it was a really special feeling for me," Stewart, a four-time letterwinner with the Hawkeyes, said in an interview. “Being so close to the water was incredible."