Their meeting place was London, a home of monarchs, the seat of the expansive British Empire and an age-old capital of culture. Their mission was to compete on a world stage, to prove who was strongest, fastest, toughest, most graceful and agile. Among the more than 10,000 athletes from 205 countries at the 2012 Olympics were two CofC student-athletes: Andrew Lawrence (right) and Juani Maegli, both of whom made a strong showing.

Lawrence – a point guard and captain for the Cougars who grew up outside London in Woking, England – helped Great Britain’s basketball team earn their first Olympic victory with a 90-58 win over China. Lawrence was the youngest player on the squad and the only collegiate player on any Olympic basketball team.

Hailing from Guatemala City, Maegli competed for Guatemala in the laser class for sailing, earning a ninth-place finish among 49 athletes. Maegli, whose father was a three-time Olympian for Guatemala, also competed in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

Both Lawrence and Maegli have returned to the College for their senior seasons of collegiate competition, hoping they can repeat their Olympic success – this time as Cougars.

– Photo by Adam Chandler