Denver’s Own Lynnzee Brown Shines at 2024 Paris Olympics, Making History for Haiti
Denverites, we have a reason to be proud as one of our own, Lynnzee Brown, has made history at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Brown, a former University of Denver gymnast and alumna, became the first gymnast to represent Haiti in women’s artistic gymnastics, competing in Subdivision 4 at Bercy Arena.
On Sunday, Brown delivered stellar performances across all four events in the qualification round. Her all-around score of 48.832 was her highest ever, surpassing her previous best of 48.133 set during the 2023 Pan American Games. Each of her routines on Sunday ranked among the top two in her elite career, a testament to her hard work and dedication.
Brown began with a floor routine scoring 12.233, matching her personal best from the 2024 Pan American Championships. She then nailed her highest elite score of 13.566 on the vault, executing a clean Yurchenko 1.5 with a small hop. On bars, she posted an impressive 11.500, just 0.133 points shy of her career high. She concluded her Olympic competition with an 11.533 on the beam, matching her second-highest score on the event from the 2023 Pan American Games.
In the final individual standings, Brown ranked 53rd in the all-around, 64th on floor, 70th on beam, and 74th on bars. Although she did not receive a final ranking on vault, as she did not attempt two vaults to qualify for the event final, her overall performance was outstanding.
Lynnzee joins an esteemed group of Denver Gymnastics alumnae who have competed at the Olympics, including Jessica Lopez (Venezuela, 2008, 2012, 2016) and Simona Castro (Chile, 2012, 2016, 2020). Another DU gymnast, Annamari Maaranen, qualified to represent Finland in 2008 but was unable to compete due to injury. With Brown’s participation, Denver maintains its streak of having at least one gymnast at the Summer Olympics for five consecutive Games.
Before the competitions began, Brown had the honor of serving as the female flag bearer for Haiti during the Opening Ceremony on July 26. She is one of seven Haitian athletes competing in Paris.
Adding a local touch to her journey, Kristina Coccia, another Denver Gymnastics alumna, served as Brown’s coach for the Games. The duo had previously teamed up during Brown’s qualification process for the 2024 Olympics, showcasing the strong community spirit and support from Denver.
Lynnzee Brown’s journey began in Raytown, Missouri, but her time at the University of Denver solidified her place in our hearts. She concluded her six-year career at DU with a program-record fourth-place finish in the all-around at the 2023 NCAA National Championships. Brown is celebrated as one of the most decorated gymnasts in DU’s history, winning an NCAA national title on floor in 2019, four Big 12 Conference championships, and earning 20 WCGA All-American honors. She also set Denver records for the all-around score (39.825) and most career perfect 10.0s (five).
As Denverites, we celebrate Lynnzee Brown’s remarkable achievements and the legacy she continues to build, both for our city and on the international stage.
