Here Are The 7 Most Famous Olympians From Illinois, From Bobsledders to Basketball Legends

Many incredible thinkers, leaders, and creatives have hailed from Illinois; but our list of athletes is undeniably impressive. Dozens of native Illinoisans have gone on to represent the United States at the Olympic Games since the event's rebirth in 1896. When I think of the most popular sports in Illinois, my mind jumps to baseball, basketball, track & field, and soccer. Some Illinoisans went on to the Olympics in these sports, and others found their niche in less common sports like speed skating and bobsledding. No matter what sport they competed in, they have all made Illinois proud.

1. Johnny Weissmuller, Swimming

Weissmuller won five gold medals and one bronze medal over the course of two Olympic games. Weismuller was a multi-sport athlete who excelled in both swimming and water polo. He began swimming off Fullerton Beach in Lake Michigan as a form of therapy after he developed polio. Having won four gold medals swimming freestyle, Weismuller was widely considered one of the greatest swimmers of the twentieth century.

2. Harold Osborn, Decathlon & High Jump

Another double sport athlete who triumphed at the Olympics is Harold Osborn. Osborn is the only athlete ever to have won gold medals in both an individual event and the decathlon. Osborn grew up on a farm in Butler, IL before going to the University of Illinois. He would go on to set six world records before returning to school to earn a doctorate in osteopathic medicine.

3. Dianne Holum, Speed Skating

An extraordinary athlete and coach, Dianne Holum earned one gold, two silver, and one bronze medal in speed skating. This Chicagoan sparked a wave of enthusiasm around her sport when she sensationally skated into a three-way tie for the silver medal at the age of 16. She retired from speed skating just six years later but would go on to coach future gold medalists Beth and Eric Heiden.

4. Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Heptathlon & the Long Jump

Known as one of the greatest track and field athletes of all-time, Jackie Joyner-Kersee won three gold, one silver and two bronze medals between the heptathlon and the long jump. Joyner-Kersee was born in East St. Louis, IL and competed in four Olympic games between 1984 and 1996. Despite having asthma, Joyner-Kersee set world records in the heptathalon. She was named the greatest female athlete of the twentieth century by Sports Illustrated; and in 2005 she received the Order of Lincoln, Illinois' highest civilian honor for professional achievement and public service.

5. Shani Davis, Speed Skating

Shani Davis won two gold and two silver medals over the course of a history-making career in speed skating. Davis began his athletic journey in a roller rink on Chicago's south side. Winner of both the world all-around speed-skating championship and the sprint world championships, Davis shattered two world records before becoming the first man to win back-to-back 1,000 meter speed skating gold medals.

6. Dwyane Wade, Basketball

Dwyane Wade has both a gold and bronze Olympic medal from his contributions to the U.S. men's basketball teams. The Chicago-born basketball star competed in both the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games. He contributed the most points to the gold medal-winning team to secure their victory over Spain.

7. Aja Evans, Bobsledding

Aja Evans is a 14-time World Cup medalist and two-time Olympian. Evans attended Morgan Park High School on Chicago's south side before making her way to the University of Illinois as a student-athlete. She was a shot-putter before she slid into a career as a bobsledder. Evans earned a bronze medal as a brakeman and was inducted into the University of Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame in 2023.

While becoming an Olympic athlete takes years of sacrifice and dedication, these seven Illinoisans have showed us how it can be done. If you suddenly decide to take up curling or fencing, you might need to do a little research first; but for those of us looking to restart a sport or try something new, all you have to do is get moving. If you are in the Springfield area, be sure to keep up with the development of this new sports park– it might be mentioned one day in a future Illinois-based Olympian's origin story.

Next time you watch the Olympic Trials or the Games themselves, cheer on the Prairie State's athletes. Wear Your Roots has lots of Illinois-themed gear to help fuel your state pride. Are there any other Olympians you would add to this list?