Ohio

Historic Olympic moments that were made in Ohio

Published

2 years ago

July 11, 2024

Historic Olympic moments that were made in Ohio

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — The list of Olympic gold medalists with Ohio roots is long and dates to when Dayton’s Charles Daniels won his first of eight medals at the 1904 Games in St. Louis.

From Cincinnati’s own Gary Hall Jr. making a splash in the pool at the 1996 Atlanta and 2000 Sydney Games to Cleveland’s Lee Kiefer taking gold in fencing’s individual foil event at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, there’s plenty of athletic success that traces back to the Buckeye State.

As the Paris 2024 Games approach, here’s a look back at five notable Olympians with ties to the state.

LeBron James

LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 12: Lebron James #6 of United States holds his gold medal after defeating Spain in the Men’s Basketball gold medal game on Day 16 of the London 2012 Olympics Games at North Greenwich Arena on August 12, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

By now, the legend of LeBron James is well known in Ohio sports history. Even though the Akron native and 2003 first-overall draft pick is known for his accomplishments with the Cleveland Cavaliers (as well as the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers), the four-time NBA champion played a pivotal role in turning Team USA around after a disappointing bronze medal in Athens in 2004.

Helping the “Redeem Team” get back to the top of the podium four years later in Beijing, James reprised his key role in London to win gold in 2012. Now, after sitting out the Rio and Tokyo Games, James is back for his fourth and likely final Olympics, teaming up with fellow NBA stars including Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant and Jayson Tatum, in a bid to capture Team USA’s fifth consecutive Olympic title. And fans of the Americans have reason to believe he can get it done. The United States is 36-0 when James is in uniform during international play.

Kyle Snyder

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – AUGUST 21: Gold medalist Kyle Frederick Snyder of the United States stands on the podium during the medal ceremony for the Men’s Freestyle 97kg on Day 16 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at Carioca Arena 2 on August 21, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

While the 28-year-old hails from Woodbine, Maryland, Kyle Snyder is a proud Buckeye after wrestling for Ohio State for four seasons, graduating in 2018 with three NCAA titles. He won gold in the 97-kilogram weight class in freestyle wrestling at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games, becoming the only athlete to win an Olympic gold, a world title, and a NCAA wrestling championship in the same year.

Snyder, who was 20 at the time of the Rio Games, is also the youngest Olympic champion in U.S. wrestling history. He earned bronze five years later in Tokyo and looks to become only the fourth U.S. wrestler to win two gold medals when he competes this summer in Paris.

Katie Smith

A native of Logan, Ohio, Katie Smith was part of three Olympic gold medal-winning teams in women’s basketball, making the top of the podium at Sydney 2000, Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008. But before her Olympic success, Smith was a student-athlete at Ohio State, scoring 2,578 career points and helping the Buckeyes make two NCAA tournaments, including the 1993 national championship game.

Smith also found success in the WNBA, winning titles twice with the Detroit Shock. She is now an assistant coach for the Minnesota Lynx.

Kayla Harrison

Born and raised in Middletown, Kayla Harrison became the first American judoka to win back-to-back Olympic judo gold medals, first striking gold at the London 2012 Games before repeating as Olympic champion in Rio four years later.

Since her Olympic triumphs, Harrison moved into mixed martial arts and now fights professionally in the women’s bantamweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. She also helped open a martial arts studio in her hometown in 2019.

Jesse Owens

Born in Oakville, Alabama, Jesse Owens moved to Cleveland at age 9. After finding success as a high school track athlete, which included three straight state championships, Owens started taking classes at Ohio State in the fall of 1933. Less than two years later, Owens set three world records and tied a fourth at the Big Ten championships in Ann Arbor, Michigan, earning the nickname “The Buckeye Bullet.” And it’s that performance that led to his most memorable success a year later at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.

Overcoming racial barriers and in the face of a rising Nazi regime in Germany, Owens became the first American track and field athlete to win four gold medals at a single Olympics. He shattered Hitler’s myth of Aryan superiority with victories in the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes, the broad jump and as a member of the 4×100-meter relay team.

While Owens died in 1980, his legacy lives on with his name featured on campus at the 10,000-seat Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium, home of Ohio State track and field as well as the school’s soccer teams.

NBC4 Paris Olympics Previews

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Ohio State educators honored for service in classroom and beyond

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2 hours ago

May 15, 2026

Press Room

Ohio State educators honored for service in classroom and beyond

The work that educators do every day in teaching and furthering research and innovation is the foundation of The Ohio State University’s land-grant mission, President Ravi V. Bellamkonda said at the university’s annual Faculty Awards Celebration. The event was held May 6 at Vitria on the Square on Ohio State’s Columbus campus.

“The question is, what should we be doing together and what’s the goal for us as we move forward? I’d like to suggest that I would like for all of us to give ourselves the gift of reasonably high expectations of what we can achieve together, and you exemplify this,” Bellamkonda told the honorees.

“I’m optimistic about our future because of what you do in the classroom and the scholarship and the mentoring and the teaching and the community that you have created.”

The celebration shines a light on faculty’s contributions to Ohio State and the citizens that the university serves, Interim Provost Trevor Brown said.

“I want to acknowledge how special all of our faculty are in the work that they do in generating knowledge and sharing that with students and the broader community,” he said. “That is important and essential work.

The Distinguished University Professor appointment, Ohio State’s highest faculty honor, was awarded to: Gail E. Besner, College of Medicine; Shan-Lu Liu, College of Veterinary Medicine; Alan Luo, College of Engineering; Giorgio Rizzoni, College of Engineering; Brent Sohngen, College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CFAES); and Claudia Turro, College of Arts and Sciences.

“The title of distinguished university professor is a permanent honorific that includes automatic membership in the president’s and provost’s advisory committee,” said Patrick Louchouarn, senior vice provost for leadership and external engagement.

Three professors were recognized with the President and Provost’s Award for Distinguished Faculty Service: Caroline T. Clark, College of Education and Human Ecology (EHE); Susan E. Cole, College of Arts and Sciences; and John E. Davidson, College of Arts and Sciences.

Ohio State Interim Provost Trevor Brown said faculty’s teaching and research are essential. The Distinguished Scholar Award was presented to six faculty members: Christopher R. Browning, College of Arts and Sciences; David L. Hoffman, College of Arts and Sciences; Christopher Jaroniec, College of Arts and Sciences; Christopher A. Jones, College of Arts and Sciences; Matthew D. Ringel, College of Medicine; and Han-Wei Shen, College of Engineering.

Also recognized were recipients of the Provost’s Award for Distinguished Teaching by a Lecturer and the Alumni Award for Distinguished Teaching

These honorees “are inducted into the Academy of Teaching and are honored with the academy’s medallion,” said Helen Malone, vice provost for faculty affairs. “Academy of Teaching members wear these distinctive medallions as part of their academic regalia.”

The Provost’s Award for Distinguished Teaching by a Lecturer honorees are:

Christiane Buuck, College of Arts and Sciences.

Alexia Leonard, College of Engineering.

David Matthews, College of Pharmacy.

Calvin Olsen, College of Arts and Sciences.

U.S. Navy Lt. Michael L. Terranova, Naval ROTC.

Jennifer Walters, College of Arts and Sciences.

The Alumni Award for Distinguished Teaching honorees are:

Jasmine Abukar, EHE.

Yigit Akin, College of Arts and Sciences.

Dawn Allain, College of Medicine.

Rebecca R. Andridge, College of Public Health.

Amanda Bird, College of Arts and Sciences.

Ellen Klinger, CFAES.

Danielle Schoon, College of Arts and Sciences.

Guramrit Singh, College of Arts and Sciences.

Margaret Sumner, College of Arts and Sciences.

Ryan J. Yoder, College of Arts and Sciences.

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Manufacturing history unfolds at North Central Ohio Industrial Museum

Published

14 hours ago

May 15, 2026

Press Room

Manufacturing history unfolds at North Central Ohio Industrial Museum

MANSFIELD ― If you’re interested in manufacturing, you can come and see hundreds of products made in North Central Ohio — including appliances, tires, pumps, Klondike bars, cigars and pieces made for streetcars.

The North Central Ohio Industrial Museum inside the lower east diagonal wing of the historic Ohio State Reformatory showcases the history of manufacturing in Mansfield and surrounding areas.

Location

The Ohio State Reformatory, 100 Reformatory Road, Mansfield.

Why it matters

The museum traces the history of manufacturing in North Central Ohio since the first steam locomotive came through town in 1846. Exhibits highlight the accomplishments of local residents and industry in peace and war, according to NCOIM President Jerry Miller.

What to see

The NCOIM has several themed sections of exhibits, beginning with “Every town had a mill,” then the Cast Iron Age, City of Stoves, Wires & Electric Exhibits, Cigar & Beer, Wheels, AG Industry and Mickey Rupp, which then begins an exhibit on what is currently manufactured in Richland County.

Miller said the late Bob Glasener started the museum and was responsible for saving many local industrial artifacts over the years. Miller said Glasener’s daughter has in her possession the 1939 World’s Fair Westinghouse (gold-plated) roaster, which she donated to the museum.

The museum is full of surprising finds.

Elektro the Westinghouse robot should be on display this summer at the North Central Ohio Industrial Museum after being restored.

A manhole and stormwater grate from 1935 made by the Tappan Stove Co. are among the treasures Miller helped to preserve. He also has the Tappan marquee and a Westinghouse marquee.

Plan your visit

Hours/admission: The museum will be open the same hours as OSR and will be free to tour with the purchase of a ticket to the prison-turned-museum.

Getting there: OSR is on the north side of Mansfield, just off U.S. 30.

Learn more: mrps.org (OSR is operated by the Mansfield Reformatory Preservation Society).

Contact Lou Whitmire at 419-5-21-7223. She can be reached at X at @lwhitmir.

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