We often associate strength and athleticism with bigness. However, there are many Olympians of modest height, making the short king community proud.
When I hear the word Olympian, I often think of Michael Phelps. And why not? He’s won the most Olympic medals ever. So basically, when I hear that word, I think of an exceptionally tall guy. A guy whose wingspan is a foot longer than my height in stacked-heel dress shoes.
Still, all 5’7” of me is comforted by the fact that there are several athletes representing us in Paris this year. And by us, I don’t mean Americans (I’m one, but you may not be). I mean Olympians of modest height.
Of course, we have our incredibly strong and agile gymnasts and jockeys. We’re always proud of them. But it goes even beyond that. After all, you don’t have to be tall to be a world-class athlete.
Here are some medal winners, the world’s best, who fall on the shorter side at the 2024 Olympics.
Antoine Dupont, French Rugby Player, Height: 5’8’’
Both France and the rugby community were made proud when the host nation’s national team brought home the rugby gold.
As a rugby fan, I know how hard the community works to gain as much global traction as soccer. But, there was another community made proud by this win, and that’s us modest-height men.
Antoine Dupont is reported to be anywhere from 5’7” to 5’9”, depending on the source. One of the world’s premier rugby players, Dupont has won three Six Nations Player of the Championships awards. That’s the most by a Frenchman.
This was the first time France won a title in a men’s world sevens tour in about 20 years. I should also mention that the French rugby team has two other men of modest height. Stephen Parez and Nelson Epée are both the same height as Dupont.
Andrew Capobianco, American Diver, Height: 5’7”
Andrew Capobianco may have ended his Olympic run at the three-meter springboard semifinal this year. But, let’s not forget his exceptional performance during the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
He and his swimming partner Michael Hixon won the US a silver medal in men’s synchronized three-meter springboard.
Keegan Palmer, Australian Skateboarder, Height: 5’6”
As of Paris 2024, Keegan Palmer, barely out of his ‘20s, is a two-time gold medalist. He won his first Olympic gold medal in Tokyo in 2021.
Equal part sportsman and showman, Palmer won both his golds doing park skateboarding. This means he utilizes ramps, quarter pipes, and skates in a giant concrete bowl course.
Palmer started young. He began skating at two-years old, joining his father at Elanora Skate Park in Australia’s Gold Coast. By the age of eight, he competed at the Australian Open skating competition. By 14, he was officially a professional, sponsorship deals and all.
Fun fact about Palmer: He’s what board-sportsman call “goofy-footed,” meaning he skates with his right foot in front. Skating with your left foot in front is considered a “regular stance.”
Xie Siyi, Chinese Diver, Height: 5’7”
Xie Siyi took home the gold for springboard diving this year. Siyi’s been diving since the age of seven. He actually used to do platform diving, but he broke his ankle in 2014.
After undergoing surgery, he switched to springboard diving the following year. Siyi won his first Olympic gold in 2021 and has ranked one or two in the world championships in the past few years.
You have to love an effective example of changing courses in the face of setbacks.
Tom Pidcock, English Cyclist, Height: 5’7”
This year, Tom Pidcock won the gold medal for men’s cross country, making king and country proud. Hailing from Leeds, Pidcock won his last gold medal in 2021 and even has an MBE.
Pidcock has won and been honored in several cycling disciplines, including road, mountain, and cyclocross racing. However, his big wins have been in cross country. In addition to Olympic gold, he was also victorious at the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships.
Stephen Nedoroscik, American Gymnast, Height: 5’7”
Thanks to his rising star on social media, you might know Stephen Nedoroscik as “the glasses pommel horse guy.” Or, you may know him as the humble Olympian who referred to himself, as “a regular dude who happens to be good at pommel horse.”
When Nedoroscik started doing gymnastics, he competed in all of the gymnastics apparatuses. He started specializing in pommel horse at around age 12. His father actually bought an old pommel horse at auction while Nedoroscik was in his teens.
Nedoroscik was born with a condition that leaves him with light sensitivity and no depth perception. Because of this, he’s not able to have a driver’s license. I say, who needs one when you’ve got an Olympic medal and a now-famous signature look?
Fumita Kenichiro, Japanese Wrestler, Height: 5’6”
This year, 5’6’’ wrestler Fumita Kenichiro, took on China’s Liguo Cao and won a gold medal from Japan.
The 28-year-old father of one has been winning awards for a decade now. Some include the 2013 Yamanashi Sport Award, the 2017 Nirasaki Citizen Honorary Award, and the Japanese Pro-Wrestling Grand Awards, Special Award in 2019.
Apparently, when he isn’t wrestling, he loves to spend time in cat cafes, which are common in Japan.
Hampton Morris, American Weightlifter, Height: 5’4”
We should all know that you don’t need to be tall to be strong. For example, there are plenty of CrossFit athletes of modest height.
At 5’4” though, Hampton Morris clearly never let his below-average height stop him from being his best self. In Paris this year, he won the bronze medal for men’s 61kg weightlifting.
Morris has never been professionally trained. And yet, he’s won gold at the Pan American Championships three times and has set 10 world records across several levels of weightlifting.
When you have discipline and ambition, I guess you don’t need professional training — or to be tall, for that matter.
Michael Jung, German Equestrian, Height: 5’7”
As a horse rider myself (though not anywhere near the Olympic level), I know that equestrians do tend to be on the shorter side. I believe most people know this.
However, I want to highlight Michael Jung today because he took home the gold for individual eventing this year.
I think this event is special. It’s essentially an equestrian triathlon that tests completely different kinds of horse-riding skills. There’s dressage, cross country, and show jumping.
It’s difficult to master just one of these. Jung’s victory isn’t just a testament to his athletic prowess, but his ability to develop a good relationship with his horse.
Alex Baena, Spanish Footballer/Soccer Player, Height: 5’8”
One of the smaller gents on Spain’s Olympic team, Alex Baen usually plays as an attacking midfielder or left winger for Villarreal in La Liga. Baena scored his first goal for Spain against Cyprus in a 2024 UEFA Euro qualifying match.
He’s a decisive player who, I think, is pretty fun to watch. He’s only 22 and seems to become a better player every year.
Vincent Hancock, American Sports Shooter, Height: 5’8”
Not that you need height to be a good shooter, but Vincent Hancock is quite the winner. He has four gold Olympic medals and one silver.
According to his bio on the Olympics website, Hancock was a former sergeant in the US Army Marksmanship Unit (makes sense). He even has a National Defense Service Medal, among other honor for his service.
Certainly, Hancock has made his country proud on several fronts.
Conclusion: Champions of Modest Height
My favorite part about combing through this year’s batch of champions is seeing the range of different skills they exhibit.
Again, short statures are beneficial in certain sports, like gymnastics and equestrianism. They’re inconsequential in others.
It’s great to see feats of strength, speed, and discipline carried out by smaller guys on such a big stage.
Questions? Comments?
