Dakota County Athletes Dominate The Tokyo Olympics

DAKOTA COUNTY, MN — Dakota County athletes dominated the Tokyo Olympics, bringing in seven of the U.S.'s total medals, Dakota County Commissioner Joe Atkins calculated.

Three high schools in Dakota County, Minnesota now account for 7 of Team USA's 97 total medals.

Congrats @sunisalee_, Regan Smith, and today's gold medalist @GableSteveson!#DakotaCountyOlympians pic.twitter.com/R8D0bNj0sJ
— Joe Atkins (@commishatkins) August 6, 2021

Six Dakota County athletes went to the Tokyo Olympics, which ended Sunday. Three Dakota County athletes will be attending the Tokyo Paralympics, which begin Aug. 24.

Possibly the biggest fan of our Dakota County Olympians, Atkins took to Twitter in support of the athletes, and for some well-deserved bragging.

Dakota County has more Olympians than 21 states.
And I have an idea for a new sports drink.#DakotaCountyOlympians pic.twitter.com/g1uFUEbEgE
— Joe Atkins (@commishatkins) July 27, 2021

Dakota County has more Olympians than 46 of the nations competing in the Olympics. pic.twitter.com/ndeqDeul9z
— Joe Atkins (@commishatkins) July 23, 2021

Here's a list of Dakota County's athletes in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics so far and their accomplishments at this year's competition:

• Sunisa Lee, South Saint Paul, artistic gymnastics
  • Gold medal in Women's All-Around
  • Silver Medal in Women's Team final
  • Bronze Medal in Women's Uneven Bars

See also: Friday is 'Sunisa Lee Day' In Minnesota

• Regan Smith, Lakeville, swimming
  • Silver medal in 4x100m medley relay
  • Silver medal in 200-meter butterfly
  • Bronze medal in 100-meter backstroke
  • Olympic record of 57.86 seconds in 100-meter backstroke, which was beat in the next heat by Australia's Kaylee McKeown.

• Gable Steveson, Apple Valley, wrestling
  • Gold medal in Men's Freestyle 125kg Wrestling
• Payton Otterdahl, Rosemount, shot put
  
  • 10th place in in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Shot Put event with a distance of 20.32 meters.
• Megan Kalmoe, South Saint Paul, rowing
  • Four-time Olympian
• Patrick Sunderman, Farmington, rifle shooting
  • 12th place in 50-meter rifle, 3 positions

The following athletes from Dakota County will be participating in the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics:

• Mallory Weggemann, Eagan, swimming
  • Two-time Paralympian(2012, 2016)
  • Two-time medalist(1 Gold, 1 Bronze)
• Josh Cinnamo, Lakeville, track and field
  • One-time Paralympian-2020
  • Events-shot put throw, discus throw
• Ian Seidenfeld, Lakeville, table tennis

You can find more information about the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics here.