7 Olympians with College Degrees

By Mathilde Frot Updated Aug 15, 2024

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Introduction
1. Ibtihaj Muhammad
2. Katherine Grainger
3. Venus Williams
4. Luc Abalo
5. Apolo Anton Ohno
6. Victoria Pendleton
7. Michelle Kwan

7 Olympians with College Degrees main image

If you’ve been following the Rio Olympics, then you probably know just how little room there is for bravado in an Olympic stadium. Competing against the world’s best, Olympic athletes break world records and push back the limits of sport. What’s less well known is that many athletes also have college degrees to add to their long lists of achievements (thus proving that they possess both brains and brawn). Read on to find out where some of world’s more impressive athletes went to uni!

1. Ibtihaj Muhammad

Nationality: American

Sport: Fencing

Olympic achievement: Ibtihaj Muhammad’s team won a bronze medal in 2016 at the Rio Olympics, beating the Italian team 45-30.

Academic record: Ibtihaj Muhammad graduated from Duke University in 2007 with a degree in international relations and African, African-American Studies.

2. Katherine Grainger

Nationality: British

Sport: Rowing

Olympic achievement: The UK’s most decorated female Olympian, Katherine Grainger has no less than four Olympic silvers and one gold – most recently including a silver in the women’s double sculls race at the 2016 Olympics.

Academic record: The Glasgow-born Olympic athlete has a string of impressive qualifications under her belt – a law degree from Edinburgh University, an MPhil in medical law and medical ethics from Glasgow University and PhD in the sentencing of homicide from King’s College London…

3. Venus Williams

Nationality: American

Sport: Tennis

Olympic achievement: Venus Williams has won a total of four Olympic gold medals. This year, she won a silver medal in the mixed doubles final, losing out on the gold to Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Jack Sock.

Academic record: The tennis star earned a BSc in Business Administration from Indiana University East in 2015, fulfilling her lifelong ‘dream to have a business degree’ and become ‘a better leader, a better planner’.

4. Luc Abalo

Nationality: French

Sport: Handball

Olympic achievement: Luc Abalo won gold medals at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and the London Olympics in 2012, and so far in Rio he’s through to the semi-finals of the men’s handball tournament.

Academic record: The handball player enrolled in a preparatory course at the School of Art and Design LISAA (l’Institut Supérieur des Arts Appliqués) in 2004, but changed career path altogether when he found himself snapped up by l’Equipe de France.

5. Apolo Anton Ohno

Nationality: American

Sport: Short track speed skating

Olympic achievement: The short track speed skater has won a total of eight Olympic medals – two gold, two silver and four bronze. He is the most decorated American athlete to take part in the Winter Olympics.

Academic record: Born to a Japanese father and an American mother, Apolo Anton Ohno studied business at the University of Colorado.

Testimonials

"I formed such great bonds with my teammates and our mentor, it was an absolute pleasure collaborating with such remarkable individuals"

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Caryn CallistaChinese University of Hong Kong student, Future17 participant

“It’s exciting to work alongside experts in the field, where I get to learn and contribute to technologies that could help reshape the future.”

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Tanika DuivenvoordenUniversity of Queensland student, Future17 participant

"Canada offers a high quality of life and student experience, known for its peace, safety, and stunning natural beauty, especially in Vancouver"

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Nidhi Mohan KamalMBA student, UBC Sauder School of Business

"CUHK’s MBA programme provided me with the stepping stone into a larger sports Asian market wherein I could leverage the large alumni network to make the right connections for relevant discussions and learning."

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Abhinav Singh BhalChinese University of Hong Kong graduate

6. Victoria Pendleton

Nationality: British

Sport: Track cyclist

Olympic achievement: The cycling champion won gold and silver medals at the London Olympics in 2012, as well as a gold medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. While she isn’t competing in Rio, she is participating as a commentator for the BBC.

Academic record: Graduating in 2002, the cycling superstar holds a degree in sport and exercise science from the University of Northumbria.

7. Michelle Kwan

Nationality: American

Sport: Figure skater

Olympic achievement: The most decorated figure skater in the US, Michelle Kwan won silver and bronze medals at the 1997-8 Nagano and 2001-2 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics.

Academic record: Michelle Kwan graduated from the University of Denver in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in international studies and political science, and earned a master’s in international relations from Tufts University in 2011.

Want to add another Olympian to our list? Share your own favorite Olympians (and their colleges) with us on Twitter, Facebook or in the comments below.

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Written by

Mathilde Frot

I'm originally French but I grew up in Casablanca, Kuala Lumpur and Geneva. When I'm not writing for QS, you'll usually find me sipping espresso(s) with a good paperback.