Decathlon, the world’s largest sporting goods retailer, is proud to announce that two sponsored athletes, paralympic swimmer, Jamal Hill, and racewalker Robyn Stevens, have qualified for the Tokyo Summer Olympics and will be the first Team USA athletes to represent the French brand at the Olympic Games. Racewalker Nick Christie also won the 20-kilometer racewalk, but missed the Olympic standard time and is awaiting word on his Olympic qualification.
“It’s an absolute honor to work with inspirational athletes like Robyn, Nick and Jamal, who embody our company ethos of making all sports more accessible for everybody,” said Jaclyn Applegate, sports marketing manager, Decathlon. “Sending our first Team USA athletes to the Olympic Games is a pivotal step forward as Decathlon continues to grow its footprint in the U.S.”
A prodigal talent in the niche sport of racewalking, Stevens won a U20 medal at the 1999 PanAm Games and remains the only American to win gold at an international race walking competition. Injuries sidelined her career for 11 years, but she returned to competition in 2016, promptly qualifying for the 2016 Olympic trials, and later the world team trials. She will be competing in the 20k race walk at the 2021 games.
Hill is one of the world’s top ranked paralympic swimmers. He won his first national title in 2018, when he took first in the 50- and 100-meter freestyle events and 2nd in the 100-meter backstroke. At the 2019 ParaPan American Games, Hill won both an individual silver and team bronze medals. Hill will be representing Team USA in the 50-meter freestyle, after qualifying for the Paralympics and breaking the American Record in the S9 category in the men's 50m freestyle.
Christie, also a race walker and Stevens’ partner, has been racing professionally since 2012, when he finished third in the 20k race. He finished first in the 2-mile race walk at the 2015 USATF Indoor Championships. Christie will be competing in the 20k race walk, if he qualifies for the Games following review.
The Games are set to begin on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo.
