Marshall Islands at the 2024 Summer Olympics

{{infobox country at games

| NOC = MHL

| NOCname = Marshall Islands National Olympic Committee

| games = Summer Olympics

| year = 2024

| start_date = {{start date|2024|07|26|df=y}}

| end_date = {{end date|2024|08|11|df=y}}

| location = Paris, France

| flagcaption =

| oldcode =

| website = {{URL|www.oceaniasport.com/marshalls}}

| competitors = 4

| sports = 3

| flagbearer_open = William Reed & Mattie Sasser

| flagbearer_close = Phillip Kinono & Mattie Sasser

| rank =

| gold = 0

| silver = 0

| bronze = 0

| officials =

| appearances = auto

| app_begin_year =

| app_end_year =

| summerappearances =

| winterappearances =

| seealso =

}}

The Marshall Islands competed at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France, which were held from 26 July to 11 August 2024. It was the country's fifth appearance at the Summer Olympics since its debut in 2008. The country's delegation contained four athletes: Kayla Hepler and Phillip Kinono in swimming, William Reed in athletics, and Mattie Sasser in weightlifting. Reed and Sasser were the flagbearers for the nation at the opening ceremony, while Kinono and Sasser were the flagbearers at the closing ceremony. The delegation was supported by a collaboration between the Australian Government and the Australian Olympic Committee, which was established for the development of sport in Pacific nations.

Hepler, Kinono, and Reed qualified after receiving universality slots, while Sasser qualified after being the highest ranked athlete from a continent outside of the top 10. Kinono competed first in the men's 50 meter freestyle, but did not progress beyond the heats. Hepler competed the following day in the women's 50 meter freestyle, but also did not progress further. The same day, Reed competed in the men's 100 meters, running a personal best time in the preliminaries but did not advance further. Finally, Sasser competed in the women's 59 kg event and placed tenth, the highest Olympic placement by a Marshallese athlete. Thus, the Marshall Islands has yet to win an Olympic medal.

Background

The games were held from 26 July to 11 August 2024, in the city of Paris, France.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.ph/olympics/story/_/id/40322251/2024-summer-olympics-paris-dates-locations-song-motto-opening-ceremony |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240731054734/https://www.espn.ph/olympics/story/_/id/40322251/2024-summer-olympics-paris-dates-locations-song-motto-opening-ceremony |archive-date=31 July 2024 |title=2024 Summer Olympics FAQ: Dates, locations, new sports, more |date=25 July 2024 |last1=Jenkins |first1=Keith |work=ESPN |access-date=1 August 2024 |url-status=live}} This edition of the games marked the Marshall Islands' fourth appearance at the Summer Olympics since its debut at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. No athlete from the Marshall Islands had ever won a medal at the Olympics, the best performance was the eleventh place of weightlifter Mattie Sasser in the women's 58 kg event at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/countries/MHL |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250206193253/https://www.olympedia.org/countries/MHL |archive-date=6 February 2025 |work=Olympedia |access-date=2 March 2025 |title=Marshall Islands Overview }}

In the lead-up to the games, the Australian Government announced a collaboration with the Australian Olympic Committee to assist over 230 athletes from 13 Pacific nations{{efn|Among the nations that were supported for the games included the Cook Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.{{cite web|url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1144007/australia-pacific-athletes-paris-2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240419191442/https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1144007/australia-pacific-athletes-paris-2024 |archive-date=19 April 2024 |date=2 March 2024 |access-date=4 March 2025 |work=Inside the Games |title=Australia supports Pacific athletes for Paris 2024 |last1=Sánchez |first1=Jesus Lopez |url-status=live }}{{cite web|url=https://www.pacificaussports.gov.au/news/getting-set-success-100-days-paris-2024-olympic-games |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241015092603/https://www.pacificaussports.gov.au/news/getting-set-success-100-days-paris-2024-olympic-games |archive-date=15 October 2024 |access-date=4 March 2024 |title=Getting set for success: 100 days to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games |url-status=live |work=PacificAus Sports }}}} for the 2024 Summer Olympics and 2024 Summer Paralympics, which included the Marshall Islands. The collaboration was made to create opportunities for said nations to compete in international competition, gain access to coaching, and to develop sports diplomacy. On 21 March, Australian Ambassador to the Marshall Islands Paul Wilson invited Marshall Islands National Olympic Committee (MINOC) president Anthony Muller and MINOC secretary general Amy Sasser at the Australian Embassy in the Marshall Islands to recognize Australia's support for the athletes of the nation. The delegation went to a training camp in Divonne-les-Bains with other Pacific athletes for their preparations for the games.{{cite web|url=https://www.pacificaussports.gov.au/news/homebase-pacific-athletes-divonne-les-bains |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250121172631/https://www.pacificaussports.gov.au/news/homebase-pacific-athletes-divonne-les-bains |archive-date=21 January 2025 |work=PacificAus Sports |title=A homebase for Pacific athletes in Divonne-les-Bains |url-status=live }}

=Opening and closing ceremonies=

The Marshall Islands delegation came in 118th out of the 205 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) in the 2024 Summer Olympics Parade of Nations within the opening ceremony. Reed and Sasser held the flag for the delegation.{{cite web|url=https://stillmed.olympics.com/media/Documents/News/2024/07/paris-2024-flagbearers.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240726143556/https://stillmed.olympics.com/media/Documents/News/2024/07/paris-2024-flagbearers.pdf |archive-date=26 July 2024 |access-date=1 August 2024 |title=Paris 2024 Opening ceremony flagbearers information |work=International Olympic Committee |url-status=live}} At the closing ceremony, Kinono and Sasser were the flag bearers.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/olympics/olympics-flagbearer-paris-usa-teamgb-b2594760.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240811213613/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/olympics/olympics-flagbearer-paris-usa-teamgb-b2594760.html |archive-date=11 August 2024 |work=The Independent |title=Every Olympic flagbearer for Paris 2024 closing ceremony including Alex Yee and Katie Ledecky |last1=Braidwood |first1=James |url-status=live }}

Competitors

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" \|+ List of Marshallese competitors at the 2024 Summer Olympics
scope="col" style="width:180px"\| Sport !scope="col" style="width:55px"\| Men !scope="col" style="width:55px"\| Women !scope="col" style="width:55px"\| Total
scope="row" style="text-align:left"\| Athletics \| 1 \|\| 0 \|\| 1
scope="row" style="text-align:left"\| Swimming \| 1 \|\| 1 \|\| 2
scope="row" style="text-align:left"\| Weightlifting \| 0 \|\| 1 \|\| 1
style="background:#eaecf0;font-weight:bold;text-align:center" !scope="row" style="background:#eaecf0;font-weight:bold;text-align:center"\| Total \| 2	2	4

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+ List of Marshallese competitors at the 2024 Summer Olympics

scope="col" style="width:180px"| Sport

!scope="col" style="width:55px"| Men

!scope="col" style="width:55px"| Women

!scope="col" style="width:55px"| Total

scope="row" style="text-align:left"| Athletics

| 1 || 0 || 1

scope="row" style="text-align:left"| Swimming

| 1 || 1 || 2

scope="row" style="text-align:left"| Weightlifting

| 0 || 1 || 1

style="background:#eaecf0;font-weight:bold;text-align:center"

!scope="row" style="background:#eaecf0;font-weight:bold;text-align:center"| Total

| 2

Athletics

{{main article|Athletics at the 2024 Summer Olympics|Athletics at the 2024 Summer Olympics – Qualification}}

=Qualification and lead-up to the games=

File:Stade de France 5 August 2024.jpg, where Reed competed in his event|alt=The inside view of the Stade de France.]]

The Marshall Islands was eligible for a universality slot to send an athletics competitor to the games, which allows a National Olympic Committee (NOC) to send athletes despite not meeting the standard qualification criteria.{{cite web |last1=Nelsen |first1=Matthew |date=10 May 2024 |title=What Are Universality Places And Who Can Obtain One? |url=https://olympics.com/en/news/what-are-universality-places-and-who-can-obtain-one |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240619064135/https://olympics.com/en/news/what-are-universality-places-and-who-can-obtain-one |archive-date=19 June 2024 |access-date=19 June 2024 |work=International Olympic Committee |url-status=live}} The Marshall Islands sent sprinter William Reed, who would compete in the men's 100 meters. The lead-up to the games saw Reed compete at the 2023 Oceania Athletics Cup in Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, and 2024 Micronesian Games in Majuro, Marshall Islands. He set the national record in the high jump at the former with 1.90 meters.{{cite web|url=https://worldathletics.org/athletes/marshall-islands/william-reed-15102308 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250311040149/https://worldathletics.org/athletes/marshall-islands/william-reed-15102308 |archive-date=11 March 2025 |access-date=11 March 2025 |title=William Reed |work=World Athletics |url-status=live }} He was coached by his father, Geary Reed.{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/AusEmbRMI/videos/1212523406856711|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250311052644/https://www.facebook.com/AusEmbRMI/videos/1212523406856711 |archive-date=11 March 2025 |access-date=11 March 2025 |date=22 July 2024 |work=Australian Embassy, Marshall Islands |via=Facebook |url-status=live |title=With only four days left until the Paris 2024 Olympics officially begins, we were excited to receive this message from William Reed and his coach (and proud father) Geary! 🎉🏅 }}

=Event=

Making his Olympic debut, Reed competed in his event on 2 August 2024 at 10:35 a.m., which was held at the Stade de France. He raced in the first heat of the preliminary round against seven other competitors. He finished with a time of 11.29 seconds, placed sixth in the heat, and did not progress further. Despite not progressing, he set a new personal best and a national under-20 record in the event.{{cite web|url=https://olympics.com/OG2024/pdf/OG2024/ATH/OG2024_ATH_C73B1_ATHM100M--------------PREL000100--.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240817150841mp_/https://olympics.com/OG2024/pdf/OG2024/ATH/OG2024_ATH_C73B1_ATHM100M--------------PREL000100--.pdf |archive-date=17 August 2024 |date=2 August 2024 |access-date=11 March 2025 |title=Men's 100m Preliminary Round - Heat 1/6 |work=Paris Organising Committee for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games |url-status=dead }}{{cite web|url=https://marshallislandsjournal.com/rmi-athletes-perform-in-paris/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250119110412/https://marshallislandsjournal.com/rmi-athletes-perform-in-paris/ |archive-date=19 January 2025 |date=9 August 2024 |access-date=11 March 2025 |title=RMI athletes perform in Paris |work=The Marshall Islands Journal |url-status=live }} Noah Lyles of the United States eventually won the gold in a time of 9.784 seconds.{{cite magazine|url=https://time.com/7007698/noah-lyles-photo-finish-paris-olympics/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240822212028/https://time.com/7007698/noah-lyles-photo-finish-paris-olympics/ |archive-date=22 August 2024 |date=4 August 2024 |magazine=Time |access-date=21 December 2024 |title=This Image of Noah Lyles Winning the 100 m is the Definition of a Photo Finish |last1=Burga |first1=Solcyré |url-status=live }}

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="font-size:90%" \|+ Athletics summary
scope="col" rowspan="2"\| Athlete !scope="col" rowspan="2"\| Event !scope="colgroup" colspan="2"\| Preliminary !scope="colgroup" colspan="2"\| Heat !scope="colgroup" colspan="2"\| Semifinal !scope="colgroup" colspan="2"\| Final
style="font-size:95%" !scope="col"\| Result !scope="col"\| Rank !scope="col"\| Result !scope="col"\| Rank !scope="col"\| Result !scope="col"\| Rank !scope="col"\| Result !scope="col"\| Rank
align=center !scope="row" style="text-align:left"\| William Reed \|style="text-align:left"\| Men's 100 m \| 11.29 {{AthAbbr\|PB}} \| 6 \|colspan="6"\| Did not advance

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="font-size:90%"

|+ Athletics summary

scope="col" rowspan="2"| Athlete

!scope="col" rowspan="2"| Event

!scope="colgroup" colspan="2"| Preliminary

!scope="colgroup" colspan="2"| Heat

!scope="colgroup" colspan="2"| Semifinal

!scope="colgroup" colspan="2"| Final

style="font-size:95%"

!scope="col"| Result

!scope="col"| Rank

!scope="col"| Result

!scope="col"| Rank

!scope="col"| Result

!scope="col"| Rank

!scope="col"| Result

!scope="col"| Rank

align=center

!scope="row" style="text-align:left"| William Reed

|style="text-align:left"| Men's 100 m

| 11.29 {{AthAbbr|PB}}

| 6

|colspan="6"| Did not advance

{{smalldiv|* Note: Ranks given for track events are within the athlete's heat only}}

Swimming

{{main|Swimming at the 2024 Summer Olympics|Swimming at the 2024 Summer Olympics – Qualification}}

=Qualification and lead-up to the games=

File:2024 Swimming at the 2024 Summer Olympics - 2024-07-27 - 3.jpg, where Hepler and Kinono competed in their events|alt=A swimming pool inside of the Paris La Défense Arena.]]

The Marshall Islands were eligible for universality slots to send swimmers to the games. The nation selected Kayla Hepler and Phillip Kinono, who would compete in the women's 50 meter freestyle and men's 50 meter freestyle respectively.{{cite web|url=https://swimswam.com/wp-content/uploads/securepdfs/2024/07/OG00459_Swimming_entries_10.07.24-Entries-List.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250212123603/https://swimswam.com/wp-content/uploads/securepdfs/2024/07/OG00459_Swimming_entries_10.07.24-Entries-List.pdf |archive-date=12 February 2025 |work=World Aquatics |via=SwimSwam |title=Entries list - Swimming |access-date=7 March 2025 |url-status=live }} Kinono also competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics in the same event, where he placed 70th,{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/145366 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250103215410/https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/145366 |archive-date=3 January 2025 |title=Phillip Kinono |work=Olympedia |url-status=live }} while Hepler's sister, Ann-Marie Hepler, competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in the same event as hers, placing 49th.{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/123499 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241127132159/https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/123499 |archive-date=27 November 2024 |access-date=14 March 2024 |work=Olympedia |url-status=live |title=Annie Hepler }} Kinono initially trained in a saltwater pool located in the nation before moving to the United States five years before the games for his training and for his studies at Iowa Lakes Community College. Hepler trained in Florida for a month before the games, where she was coached by her mother, Amy LaCost, the chef de mission of the Marshall Islands at the 2020 Summer Olympics.{{cite web|url=https://www.oceanianoc.org/press/kayla-hepler-follows-sisters-footsteps-at-the-olympics |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250124003950/https://marshallislandsjournal.com/tokyo-olympics/ |archive-date=24 January 2025 |date=19 August 2021 |access-date=15 March 2025 |title=RMI makes unique mark in Tokyo |work=The Marshall Islands Journal |url-status=live |last1=Sasser |first1=Terry }}

=Event=

Kinono first competed in his event on 1 August 2024 at 11:21 p.m., which was held in the Paris La Défense Arena. He competed in the second of the heats and swam a new personal best time of 27.43 seconds. He placed first out of the seven swimmers in his heat,{{cite web|url=https://www.oceanianoc.org/press/kinonos-sacrifice-for-the-olympics |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240901125652/https://www.oceanianoc.org/press/kinonos-sacrifice-for-the-olympics |archive-date=1 September 2024 |date=2 August 2024 |work=Oceania National Olympic Committees |agency=Pacnews |last1=Salalo |first1=Sereana |url-status=live |title=Kinono's Sacrifice for the Olympics }} though finished with a time not fast enough to progress to later rounds, and placed 64th overall. The eventual winner of the event was Cameron McEvoy of Australia with a time of 21.25 seconds.{{cite web|url=https://olympics.com/OG2024/pdf/OG2024/SWM/OG2024_SWM_C73A1_SWMM50MFR-------------HEAT000200--.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240815163112mp_/https://olympics.com/OG2024/pdf/OG2024/SWM/OG2024_SWM_C73A1_SWMM50MFR-------------HEAT000200--.pdf |archive-date=15 August 2024 |date=1 August 2024 |access-date=14 March 2025 |work=Paris Organising Committee for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games |title=Swimming Men's 50m Freestyle Heat 2 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web|url=https://olympics.com/OG2024/pdf/OG2024/SWM/OG2024_SWM_C76A_SWMM50MFR-------------------------.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240817131230mp_/https://olympics.com/OG2024/pdf/OG2024/SWM/OG2024_SWM_C76A_SWMM50MFR-------------------------.pdf |archive-date=17 August 2024 |date=2 August 2024 |access-date=14 March 2025 |work=Paris Organising Committee for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games |title=Swimming Men's 50m Freestyle Summary |url-status=dead }} After he competed in his event, he expressed his thanks for representing the nation at the games.

Hepler competed in her event on 3 August 2024 at 11:03 a.m., making her Olympic debut. She competed in the second of the heats and swam a personal best time of 30.33 seconds.{{cite web|url=https://www.oceanianoc.org/press/kayla-hepler-follows-sisters-footsteps-at-the-olympics |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250314163344/https://www.oceanianoc.org/press/kayla-hepler-follows-sisters-footsteps-at-the-olympics |archive-date=14 March 2025 |access-date=14 March 2025 |date=4 August 2024 |title=Kayla Hepler Follows Sister's Footsteps at the Olympics |work=Oceania National Olympic Committees |agency=Pacnews |last1=Salalo |first1=Sereana |url-status=live }} She placed second out of the eight swimmers in her heat, finished with a time not enough to progress to later rounds, and placed 62nd overall. The eventual winner of the event was Sarah Sjöström of Sweden with a time of 23.71 seconds.{{cite web|url=https://olympics.com/OG2024/pdf/OG2024/SWM/OG2024_SWM_C73A1_SWMW50MFR-------------HEAT000200--.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240815180129mp_/https://olympics.com/OG2024/pdf/OG2024/SWM/OG2024_SWM_C73A1_SWMW50MFR-------------HEAT000200--.pdf |archive-date=15 August 2024 |date=3 August 2024 |access-date=14 March 2025 |work=Paris Organising Committee for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games |title=Swimming Women's 50m Freestyle Heat 2 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web|url=https://olympics.com/OG2024/pdf/OG2024/SWM/OG2024_SWM_C76A_SWMW50MFR-------------------------.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240815174810mp_/https://olympics.com/OG2024/pdf/OG2024/SWM/OG2024_SWM_C76A_SWMW50MFR-------------------------.pdf |archive-date=15 August 2024 |date=4 August 2024 |access-date=14 March 2025 |work=Paris Organising Committee for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games |title=Swimming Women's 50m Freestyle Summary |url-status=dead }} After Hepler competed in her event, she praised the people and athletes she met during her stint at the games.{{cite web|url=https://klin.com/2024/08/05/kayla-helper-draft/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250314155305/https://klin.com/2024/08/05/kayla-helper-draft/ |archive-date=14 March 2025 |date=5 August 2024 |access-date=14 March 2025 |work=KLIN |title=Olympic Dream Comes True For NWU Athlete |last1=Stanton |first1=Tom |url-status=live }}

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="font-size:90%" \|+ Swimming summary
scope="col" rowspan="2"\| Athlete !scope="col" rowspan="2"\| Event !scope="colgroup" colspan="2"\| Heat !scope="colgroup" colspan="2"\| Semifinal !scope="colgroup" colspan="2"\| Final
style="font-size:95%" !scope="col"\| Time !scope="col"\| Rank !scope="col"\| Time !scope="col"\| Rank !scope="col"\| Time !scope="col"\| Rank
align=center !scope="row" style="text-align:left"\| Phillip Kinono \|style="text-align:left"\| Men's 50 m freestyle \| 27.43 {{Abbr\|PB\|Personal best}} \| 64{{efn\|name=fn1\|Qualifiers for the latter rounds (Q) of all events were decided on a time only basis, therefore positions shown are overall results versus competitors in all heats.}} \|colspan="4"\| Did not advance
style="text-align:center" !scope="row" style="text-align:left"\| Kayla Hepler \|style="text-align:left"\| Women's 50 m freestyle \| 30.33 {{Abbr\|PB\|Personal best}} \| 62{{efn\|name=fn1}} \|colspan="4"\| Did not advance

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="font-size:90%"

|+ Swimming summary

scope="col" rowspan="2"| Athlete

!scope="col" rowspan="2"| Event

!scope="colgroup" colspan="2"| Heat

!scope="colgroup" colspan="2"| Semifinal

!scope="colgroup" colspan="2"| Final

style="font-size:95%"

!scope="col"| Time

!scope="col"| Rank

!scope="col"| Time

!scope="col"| Rank

!scope="col"| Time

!scope="col"| Rank

align=center

!scope="row" style="text-align:left"| Phillip Kinono

|style="text-align:left"| Men's 50 m freestyle

| 27.43 {{Abbr|PB|Personal best}}

| 64{{efn|name=fn1|Qualifiers for the latter rounds (Q) of all events were decided on a time only basis, therefore positions shown are overall results versus competitors in all heats.}}

|colspan="4"| Did not advance

style="text-align:center"

!scope="row" style="text-align:left"| Kayla Hepler

|style="text-align:left"| Women's 50 m freestyle

| 30.33 {{Abbr|PB|Personal best}}

| 62{{efn|name=fn1}}

|colspan="4"| Did not advance

Weightlifting

{{main|Weightlifting at the 2024 Summer Olympics|Weightlifting at the 2024 Summer Olympics – Qualification}}

=Qualification and lead-up to the games=

The Marshall Islands sent one weightlifter to the games based on the International Weightlifting Federation's Qualification Ranking. Mattie Sasser qualified after being the highest ranked athlete from a continent outside of the top 10 ranked athletes in her category, beating Kiana Elliot of Australia with a total of 216 kilograms. Sasser was ranked 12th overall.{{cite web|url=https://iwf.sport/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2024/06/Paris-2024_Olympic-Qualification-Ranking_FINAL_21062024.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241210011521/https://iwf.sport/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2024/06/Paris-2024_Olympic-Qualification-Ranking_FINAL_21062024.pdf |archive-date=10 December 2024 |title=Games of the XXXIII Olympiad - Paris 2024 Olympic Qualification Ranking Final |work=International Weightlifting Federation |access-date=1 March 2025 |date=21 June 2024 |url-status=live |page=7}}{{cite web|title=Phuket, Day 4: Glory and tears for Olympic champions, and a world record for China in 'best ever session'|url=https://iwf.sport/2024/04/03/phuket-day-4-glory-and-tears-for-olympic-champions-and-a-world-record-for-china-in-best-ever-session/ |last1=Oliver |first1=Brian |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250222123619/https://iwf.sport/2024/04/03/phuket-day-4-glory-and-tears-for-olympic-champions-and-a-world-record-for-china-in-best-ever-session/ |archive-date=22 February 2025 |work=International Weightlifting Federation|date=3 April 2024|access-date=12 April 2024|url-status=live}} The lead-up to the games saw her compete at the 2023 IWF Grand Prix I, the 2023 World Weightlifting Championships, the 2023 Pacific Games, which doubled as the 2023 Oceania Weightlifting Championships, where she won three golds in both competitions, then followed by the 2024 Oceanian Weightlifting Championships, where she won one gold and two silvers, and the 2024 IWF World Cup.{{cite web|url=https://iwf.sport/weightlifting_/athletes-bios/?athlete=sasser-mathlynn-langtor-1996-12-25&id=12736 |title=Sasser Mathlynn Langtor |work=International Weightlifting Federation |access-date=11 March 2025 }}

Sasser had also competed for the Marshall Islands at the 2016 Summer Olympics in the women's 58 kg event, where she placed eleventh. As a dual citizen of both the Marshall Islands and the United States, she switched her sporting nationality in international competition and attempted to qualify for the United States team for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. She was injured during qualification, however, and required knee surgery. In 2023, she switched back to the Marshall Islands again to qualify for the 2024 games. She was coached by Casey Knuth and trained in Samoa before the games.{{cite web|url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1137875/sasser-paris-rankings |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240419084307/https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1137875/sasser-paris-rankings |archive-date=19 April 2024 |access-date=11 March 2025 |date=12 June 2023 |work=Inside the Games |title=US weightlifters battle for Paris 2024 rankings while former team-mate Sasser shines |last1=Oliver |first1=Brian |url-status=live }}

=Event=

Sasser competed in her event on 8 August 2024, which was held in the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles. She failed to lift her first and second attempts at the snatch at 94 kilograms, then successfully lifted the same weight on her last attempt. She successfully clean and jerked 110 kilograms for her first attempt, then lifted 115 kilograms for her second, ultimately failing her last attempt at 118 kilograms. She ended with a total of 209 kilograms, placing her tenth out of twelve competitors, the highest Olympic finish by a Marshallese athlete. The winner of the event was Luo Shifang with a total of 241 kilograms.{{cite web|url=https://olympics.com/OG2024/pdf/OG2024/WLF/OG2024_WLF_C73_WLFW59KG--------------FNL-000100--.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240825045702mp_/https://olympics.com/OG2024/pdf/OG2024/WLF/OG2024_WLF_C73_WLFW59KG--------------FNL-000100--.pdf |archive-date=25 August 2024 |date=8 August 2024 |access-date=11 March 2025 |title=Weightlifting Women's 59 kg |work=Paris Organising Committee for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games |url-status=live }} After her event, she commented her desire for more women in her country to pursue weightlifting. She also commented her concerns of the possible removal of weightlifting as an Olympic sport after the 2028 Summer Olympics.{{cite web|url=https://www.oceanianoc.org/press/mathlynn-sasser-hopes-to-inspire-future-generations-in-weightlifting |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241206002832/https://www.oceanianoc.org/press/mathlynn-sasser-hopes-to-inspire-future-generations-in-weightlifting |archive-date=6 December 2024 |title=Mathlynn Sasser Hopes to Inspire Future Generations in Weightlifting |date=10 August 2024 |access-date=11 March 2025 |work=Oceania National Olympic Committees |agency=Pacnews |last1=Osifelo |first1=Elizabeth |url-status=live }}

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="font-size:90%" \|+ Weightlifting summary
scope="col" rowspan="2"\| Athlete !scope="col" rowspan="2"\| Event !scope="colgroup" colspan="2"\| Snatch !scope="colgroup" colspan="2"\| Clean & jerk !scope="col" rowspan="2"\| Total !scope="col" rowspan="2"\| Rank
style="font-size:95%" !scope="col"\| Result !scope="col"\| Rank !scope="col"\| Result !scope="col"\| Rank
style="text-align:center" !scope="row" style="text-align:left"\| Mattie Sasser \|style="text-align:left"\| Women's 59 kg \| 94 \| 12 \| 115 \| 10 \| 209 \| 10

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="font-size:90%"

|+ Weightlifting summary

scope="col" rowspan="2"| Athlete

!scope="col" rowspan="2"| Event

!scope="colgroup" colspan="2"| Snatch

!scope="colgroup" colspan="2"| Clean & jerk

!scope="col" rowspan="2"| Total

!scope="col" rowspan="2"| Rank

style="font-size:95%"

!scope="col"| Result

!scope="col"| Rank

!scope="col"| Result

!scope="col"| Rank

style="text-align:center"

!scope="row" style="text-align:left"| Mattie Sasser

|style="text-align:left"| Women's 59 kg

| 94

| 12

| 115

| 10

| 209

| 10

Notes

References

2024

Category:Nations at the 2024 Summer Olympics