BEIJING – In one of the most successful Olympics in history for the state of Hawai`i, the University of Hawai`i played a large role, which helped produce 10 Olympians, each bringing home a medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

 

Five former UH student-athletes competed for the United States; two former student-athletes competed for the Netherlands and three, one current, student-athletes played for their home country of Australia.

 

Overall, four gold medals were won, three silver medals earned and three bronze medals won. The total of 10 medals were more than 64 countries earned and would have placed UH tied for 21^st on the medal count with Poland, Hungary and Norway.

 

The four gold medals were earned by U.S. men's volleyball player Clay Stanley, U.S. women's soccer player Natasha Kai, and two Netherlands water polo players Iefke Van Belkum and Meike De Nooy.

 

The silver medals were won by the U.S. women's volleyball team, which had three former UH players on the squad in Robyn Ah Mow-Santos, Heather Bown and Kim Willoughby.

 

Three bronze medals were won by Australia softball players Stacey Porter and Justine Smethurst and Australian swimmer Melanie Schlanger. Smethurst was the only current UH student-athlete participating at the Olympic Games.

 

 

Stanley was the last former UH student-athlete to earn a medal at the Olympics. Stanley and the men's volleyball team played in one of the final Olympic events, winning the gold medal with a 3-1 victory over Brazil. Stanley provided the final kill in the match, giving the U.S. its first gold medal since 1988.

 

Kai scored one of the biggest goals for the United States in its quarterfinal game. Kai scored her lone goal of the Olympics in extra time, advancing the U.S. into the semifinals and eventually to gold. It was the second straight gold medal for the U.S. and third out of the last four Olympics.

 

In one of the bigger upsets of the Olympics, the Netherlands women's water polo team knocked off the favorite U.S. 9-8 in the gold medal game. Van Belkum scored six goals overall, including one in the gold medal game. De Nooy served as a reserve goalkeeper for the Netherlands.

 

Both Ah Mow-Santos and Bown were competing in their third Olympics, while Willoughby was competing in her first. U.S. competed in just its second gold medal match and earned the silver medal, its first medal in 16 years. Ah Mow-Santos was the starting setter and captain of the U.S., while Bown was the starting middle blocker. Willoughby came off the bench and provided a spark for the U.S., especially in its quarterfinal and semifinal matches.

 

Smethurst was the only current UH student-athlete to compete in Beijing. Smethurst pitched well for Australia, starting four games and pitching in five in just her first Olympics. Smethurst threw 19 innings, allowing only three runs and struck out 12 batters overall. Porter led Australia with nine runs scored in her second Olympic appearance. Porter played in all nine games and was walked 10 times.

 

Schlanger appeared in her first Olympics and won the bronze medal in the 4x100 freestyle relay. Schlanger swam the third leg for the medal winning relay team, which finished behind the Netherlands and United States. Schlanger also swam in the 4x200 freestyle relay.