The Modern Olympics began almost thirteen decades ago in the spiritual home of the Games — Athens, Greece. Since then, 53 Olympic games have been held, with Princetonians representing both their home countries and the Orange and Black from the very first games through this summer in Paris.
The ‘Prince’ looked at several standout moments in Princeton’s legacy of wins at the Games, revealing unlikely Olympic heroes, trailblazing pioneers, and many who would go on to achieve greatness outside of the sporting world.
King of Greece dons the first Princeton Olympian with olive wreath
At the inaugural games in 1896, four Princeton athletes took the long boat ride across the Atlantic and Mediterranean as part of the first-ever Olympic delegation from the United States, taking home seven medals in total.
Robert Garrett Jr. Class of 1897 was only a rising senior at Princeton when he took the Greek crowd by storm in the inaugural 1896 Games. Garrett dominated the track and field competitions, finishing first in the discus and shot put categories and second in the high jump and long jump. After only a day’s practice, Garrett set the world record in the discus.
Garrett was never awarded a gold medal — those were not introduced until 1904 in St. Louis. Instead, he was adorned with silver and bronze medals and given, as The Daily Princetonian described, “from the hands of the King a wreath of wild olive from the trees at Olympia, according to the ancient custom,” in its reporting of the closing ceremonies.
According to the Princetoniana Museum, the University was initially apprehensive about allowing four students to leave in the middle of the spring semester — not a far cry from how the administration may react today. The University ultimately gave way; however, the four Tigers had to practice off-campus for their events. The Daily Princetonian similarly voiced concern regarding the condition of the athletes upon return, fearing loses among Ivy counterparts.
“The chief objection, however, is that the trip may affect our in the coming contests with Yale and Columbia. Such a result would be most deplorable,” wrote the ‘Prince’ at the time.
Garrett would go on to serve as a member of the Board of Trustees and class president during his time at Princeton.
Future NRA President claims first gold medal for Princeton
After Robert Garrett’s outstanding performance representing Old Nassau in Athens, it was 24 years before another Tiger would win multiple gold medals. In the 1920 Games in Antwerp, Karl Frederick Class of 1903 shot his way to three gold medals, all in pistol competitions.
Frederick earned the top prize in men’s 50m free pistol and two team pistol events, all of which have since been discontinued at the Games.
Frederick, in line with his pistol proficiency, later became the chairman of the National Rifle Association.
Jersey native achieves swim success despite humble roots
The old Dillon Pool is over 6,700 miles away from Tokyo, Japan, where Jed Graef ’64 wrote his name in swimming world record books. Months after graduating — the 1964 Tokyo Games were held in October — Graef set a world record in his preliminary heat race in the 200m backstroke.
Just a day later, Graef sliced more than two seconds off his time to set a new record of 2:10.3 seconds as he touched the wall just before his two team USA teammates, who claimed silver and bronze.
Graef, captain of the Tiger team, hailed from northern New Jersey and went to Verona High School, where he managed to set state records despite the school not having a swim team.
Rebel finds a cause in the pool, winning Team USA two gold medals
Alcohol, cigarettes, and fights. Nelson Diebel ’96 had come a long way from his rebelious teenage streak by the time he arrived at Princeton’s campus as a swimmer and soon-to-be 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympian.
After being kicked out of two schools, according to his hometown paper, it was his love of the sport that helped him corrected course — joining the swim team at a private school in New Jersey, which led him to Princeton as a recruit.
Just a few months before the 1992 Olympics, Diebel shattered the 100m American breaststroke record, securing his spot on the Barcelona team as a rising sophomore.
Diebel proved that tigers are indeed the best swimmers of all the big cats, flying off the blocks to win two gold medals up in Catalonia in the 100m breaststroke and the 4x100m medley relay. The 100m breaststroke was Diebel’s coup d’état, blazing his way to an Olympic record and beating the top-ranked breaststroker in the world in the medal round.
Diebel’s Olympic success boasted him to national fame — he graced the cover of Sports Illustrated shortly after the Games began under a title “Spanish Gold.” The formerly-expelled high school student had risen to the pinnacle of his sport.
The ‘Prince’ interviewed Diebel, upon his return to campus, and poked a little fun at his newfound celebrity.
“Would his face grace the cover of a box of Wheaties? Maybe he would appear on television eating steaks at Sizzler with a gold medal draped around his neck. Or, perhaps, he would wear Speedo bathing suits every day to class,” the ‘Prince’ Sports section wrote at the time.
The double-gold medalist Diebel, like any good Princeton student, decided to return to school, explaining, “I finally decided that it would take too much time to do all of the commercial things, and it’d take time away from studying.”
“Not that I’m the most studious guy,” he added.
Diebel did not respond to a request for comment.
First female Tiger gold medalist rows to victory in Beijing
Caroline Lind ’06 made Princeton history at the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympic Games as part of the American women’s eight rowing team. Lind became the first female Tiger to stand wreathed in gold atop an Olympic podium, over a century after Garrett established himself as the first alumnus.
Lind, representing the ever-dominant Tiger rowing program, and her boat mates ended a 24-year gold medal drought for the American women’s eight program and earned the first of three consecutive golds for the squad.
Lind did not respond to a request for comment.
In all, Old Nassau has sent 154 athletes off to the Olympic Games, making a combined 217 appearances and collecting 90 medals. Tigers have thrown, ran, shot, rowed, swam, fenced, sailed, skated, snowboarded, and more on their way to Olympic glory.
With all the Tiger success on the international stage, perhaps it is time that the Olympic Committee turns one of the five Olympic Rings orange.
Correction: A previous version of this article stated that Diebel swam the 100-meter freestyle. In fact, he swam in the 100-meter breaststroke event.
Harrison Blank is an assistant Sports editor at the ‘Prince.’
Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.
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