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Pepperdine Hosts International Alumni Olympics Reception in London

A special reception honoring Pepperdine's rich Olympic history will be held Thursday, Jul. 26, at 5:30 p.m. at the recently renovated Pepperdine London House in London, England. The Pepperdine community from around the world will come together to celebrate this historic event on the eve before the kick-off to the 2012 Olympics. For more information, visit the 2012 London Olympics Reception website.

This summer, a number of Pepperdine athletes and coaches will face their toughest competition in the hopes of joining the ranks of Pepperdine's earlier, legendary medal winners. Some are returning competitors; others are international students who will represent their home countries at the games; and some are inspiring their U.S. National Teams to achieve victory as coaches. All go to the 2012 London Olympic Games with the support of the Pepperdine community, befitting University champions.

Meet the Olympians below in an exclusive early look at the article from the Summer 2012 issue of Pepperdine Magazine, as well as participants that qualified just as or after the magazine went to press. For a history of Pepperdine medal winners so far and for University updates throughout the London games, visit the magazine's website.

Sarah Attar: Track, Saudi Arabia

Junior Sarah Attar will have the honor of being one of the first two women ever to compete for Saudi Arabia at the Olympics. Attar has run both cross country and track for the Waves for the past two seasons. Read about Attar on the Pepperdine Athletics website.

Yakhouba Diawara: Basketball, France

Yakhouba Diawara played two seasons for the Waves (2003-04 and 2004-05) after transferring from Southern Idaho and will become the second Pepperdine product ever to compete in the sport of men's basketball at the Olympics, as the Waves' alum was named to France's national team. Read about Diawara on the Pepperdine Athletics website.

Miranda Ayim: Basketball, Canada

Former Wave Miranda Ayim and the Canadian Senior Women's National Team qualified for the 2012 London Olympics after winning a winner takes all game over Japan, 71-63,  in Ankara, Turkey in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament. The berth marks the first time the Canadian women have been in the Olympics since 2000 in Sydney. Read about Ayim, who was featured in an article titled "Courtside Communication" in the Summer 2010 issue of Pepperdine Magazine, on the Pepperdine Athletics website.

Read more about this year's competitors in "Meet the Olympians" on the Pepperdine homepage.