SPOKANE, Wash. — The Paris Olympics kicks off with the opening ceremonies on Friday.
Here at KREM 2, we are tracking multiple Olympic athletes with ties to the Inland Northwest.
Gonzaga University and Washington State University are sporting a plethora of Olympians this year.
Rui Hachimura
Rui Hachimura is a former Gonzaga Bulldog who played for the men's basketball team from 2016 to 2019.
The former Zag was drafted 9th overall in the 2019 NBA draft by the Washington Wizards. Last year, the Wizards traded Hachimura to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Hachimura was born in Toyama, Japan.
Before Gonzaga, he played for Meisei High School and helped lead them to a second winter All-Japan High School Tournament title.
This will be Hachimura's second trip to the Olympics. He will be playing with Team Japan.
Andrew Nembhard
Newer Zag basketball fans might recognize Andrew Nembhard's face at the Olympic games this year. Nembhard played for the men's basketball team from 2020 to 2022.
The former Zag was drafted 31st overall in the 2022 NBA draft by the Indiana Pacers.
Nembhard helped lead the Bulldogs to the 2021 NCAA National Championship game. During his rookie year with the Pacers, Nembhard made a splash by hitting a game-winner 3-pointer against the Lakers. He now is a part of the Pacers' starting five.
Nembard will play in Paris with Team Canada, alongside his fellow former Zag, Kelly Olynyk.
He was born in Ontario, Canada.
Yvonne Ejim
The Canadian women's national team will sport a current Gonzaga Bulldog this Paris Olympics.
Superstar Yvonne Ejim is entering her fifth year at GU, she has been playing with the Zags since 2020.
Ejim has racked up about 18 honors including the 2024 Becky Hammon Player of the Year, WCC Player of the Year and WCC Defensive Player of the Year.
The Zag has been playing with the Canadian national team since 2022.
Ejim was born in Calgary, Alberta.
Kelly Olynyk
Kelly Olynyk will be wearing red and white for a different team as he teams up with his fellow Zag Andrew Nembhard.
Olynyk played for the Gonzaga men's basketball team from 2009 to 2013. He was a part of the first Zag squad to earn a No. 1 national ranking and No. 1 NCAA Tournament seed. Olynyk even won the 2013 WCC Player of the Year.
Gonzaga retired Olynyk's jersey in 2022.
The former Zag was drafted 13th overall in the 2013 NBA draft to the Dallas Mavericks, where he was immediately traded to the Boston Celtics. Olynyk has played with the Miami Heat, Houston Rockets, Detroit Pistons, Utah Jazz, and earlier this year, the Toronto Raptors.
Olynyk will play in Paris with Team Canada.
He was born in Kamloops, British Columbia.
Filip Petrusev
Filip Petrusev is a former Gonzaga Bulldog, he played for the men's basketball team from 2018 to 2020.
Petrusev played 3 seasons overseas with the Greek Basket League and the EuroLeague before signing a contract with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2023.
Before being named to the Serbian national team's final roster, he appeared in the EuroLeague Final Four with Greece.
He will make his Olympic debut with Team Serbia.
Petrusev was born in Belgrade, Serbia.
Josh Hawkinson
Josh Hawkison will be representing the Washington State men's basketball team this Olympics. He played with the Cougs from 2013 to 2016.
According to the Washington State men's basketball record book, the former Coug is the all-time leader in rebounds with 334.
After graduating from WSU, he moved to Japan to begin his professional career. Hawkinson has spent the last seven years playing there.
The International Basketball Federation allows one person who has been granted citizenship to be on the roster of any national team.
Hawkinson became a Japanese citizen last year. He will play with Team Japan, alongside Rui Hachimura.
Kacie Bosch
The women's Canadian national team's 3-on-3 team will play host to former Bulldog, Kacie Bosch.
She helped Canada earn its first-ever Olympic berth in 3-on-3 basketball during the FIBA 3-on-3 Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Hungary.
Bosch played on the Gonzaga women's basketball team from 2014 to 2016. She helped the Zags in the NCAA Sweet Sixteen as a freshman.
She will play with Team Canada.
Bosch was born in Lethbridge, Alberta.
Sunny Greinacher
Sunny Greinacher is a former Gonzaga Bulldog who played with the women's basketball team from 2011 to 2014.
Greinacher has made a splash overseas earning herself the nickname, 'Sunny G.'
The former Zag played an important role for Germany's women's national 3-on-3 team in the FIBA 3x3 Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
She will play in Paris with Team Germany. Greinacher was born in Essen, Germany.
Mark Few
The Inland Northwest will see more than just players during the Olympic games.
Gonzaga Head Coach Mark Few will be serving as an assistant coach for none other than Team USA.
Few has coached 24 seasons at Gonzaga. According to USA Basketball's website, Few has coached the USA National Team before.
Few was an assistant coach at the 2018 USA National Team minicamp and for the 2019 USA Men's Select Team. He came back in 2021 as an assistant coach for the USA Men's Select Team ahead of the Tokyo Olympics.
Trinity Rodman
Trinity Rodman was signed to the Washington State women's soccer team in 2019.
COVID canceled her rookie season for the Cougs, so Rodman decided to forgo her collegiate career and go pro.
She was drafted second overall in the 2021 National Women's Soccer League draft by the Washington Spirit.
Rodman will play in Paris with Team USA.
She was born and raised in California. Fun fact, Trinity is the daughter of NBA Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman.
CJ Allen
Cj Allen is a former Washington State Cougar.
He competed in both indoor and outdoor track and field for WSU from 2013 to 2016.
During his time as a Coug, he was a two-time PAC-12 champion.
Allen will compete in Paris with Team USA in the 400-meter hurdles.
Allen was born and raised in Bremerton, Washington.
Charisma Taylor
Charisma Taylor is a Washington State University alum.
She competed in both indoor and outdoor track for WSU from 2018 to 2021.
Taylor will compete in Paris with her home country, Team Bahamas, in the 100-meter hurdles.
Jasneet Nijjar
Jasneet Nijjar is a graduate student at Washington State University.
She broke a 38-year-old program record in the 400-meter race during her Olympic trials.
While she previously competed in the youth Olympic games, this will be her first appearance at the Olympics.
Nijjar will compete in Paris for team Canada in the 4-by-400-meter relay.
She was born and raised in Surrey, British Columbia.
Louie Hinchliffe
Louie Hinchliffe is a former Washington State cougar.
Hinchliffe only spent his freshman year in Pullman, but in that time, he set several program records including in the 60-meter and 100-meter dash.
At the University of Houston this past season, he became the first Brit to place first at the NCAA outdoor championship.
Hinchliffe will compete in Paris for Great Britain in the 100-meter and 4-by-100-meter relay.
He was born and raised in Sheffield, England.
Maribel Caicedo
Maribel Caicedo is a graduate of Washington State.
She holds WSU's all-time record in the 60-meter hurdles.
She also won the women's 60-meter hurdles at her first five indoor meets as a Cougar.
Caicedo will compete in Paris for Ecuador in the 100-meter hurdles.
She was born in Ecuador.
Ieva Adomaviciute
Ieva Adomaviciute graduated from WSU in 2017.
She was a member of four Cougar rowing teams that reached the NCAA Championships, while also winning gold in single sculls at the U-23 World Championships in 2015 and 2016.
Since graduating from WSU, Adomavičiūtė has added one more gold to her collection in 2018 in the Women's Double Sculls at the World Championships.
She will compete in the women’s pair rowing event for Lithuania in Paris.
Sam Atkin
Sam Atkin is a former Lewis and Clark State Warrior.
He competed in both indoor and outdoor track for LC State from 2011 to 2016.
During his time as a Warrior, he became the most decorated runner ever at the college.
Atkin is the first LC State athlete to appear in multiple Olympic games.
Atkin will compete in Paris with team Great Britain in the 5,000 meters.
He was born and raised in Lincolnshire, England.