PARIS, France – The 2024 Paris Olympics brought together more than 10,000 athletes in the spirit of friendship, solidarity, and fair play with the goal of contributing to building a peaceful and better world through athletic competition.
And the O’Neill School was there.
Three students from the Paul H. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs—Tomer Frankel, Rafael Miroslaw, and Kai van Westering—competed in the Paris Games, all of them leading for the greater good through their efforts in the swimming pool.
Frankel, who recently graduated with a B.S. in Environmental Management with a minor in urban planning, competed for Israel in the 100-meter freestyle, the 100-meter butterfly, the 4 X 100-meter freestyle relay, and the 4 X 200-meter freestyle relay. The Paris Games were his second Olympic appearance after swimming in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
Frankel appreciates that the O’Neill School allowed him the freedom to pursue his passions and is continuing his education with O’Neill’s Master of Science in Environmental Science program.
“I’ve never had an issue when a professor didn’t accept the fact that I’m an athlete, and I can succeed in school and in the pool,” Frankel said. “One of the things I like about the O’Neill School is that it’s not just about myself. It’s about the environment and society, so anything I’m doing in life, in the pool, or here, it’s all about how I can make this place better than it was yesterday.”
Frankel finished 21st in the 100-meter freestyle event, and he helped Israel to a ninth-place finish in the finals of the 4 X 200-meter freestyle race. He also placed 21st in the 100-meter butterfly.
Miroslaw, who currently is pursuing an undergraduate degree in public affairs, competed in the 200-meter freestyle event for Germany, and he was part of the German 4 X 100-meter and 4 X 200-meter freestyle teams. He reached the semifinal of the 200-meter freestyle, finishing 15th with a time of 1:47.34, and he helped the 4 X 100-meter relay team set two national records on the way to a seventh-place finish in the finals with a time of 3:12.29. In the 4 X 200-meter relay, he helped Germany finish eighth in the finals.
Westering, a junior pursuing a bachelor’s degree in public affairs with a focus on environmental management, was part of the swim team for the Netherlands. He tied for 21st in the 100-meter backstroke and was 23rd in the 200-meter backstroke. Westering also helped the Netherlands to a fourth-seed in the finals of the 4 X 100-meter medley.
“We’re so incredibly proud of the O’Neill students who took part in the Paris Games,” said Siân Mooney, dean of the O’Neill School. “The ability of O’Neill School students who are also athletes to excel in the classroom and in their athletic pursuits is a testament to their world-class drive, and it was so exciting to see them perform on such a huge stage.”