The former Red Storm basketball forward will represent Puerto Rico’s men’s national basketball team in this summer’s Olympics
The 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris officially kicked off Friday, and three St. John’s alumni will participate in this summer’s games.
Former St. John’s men’s basketball player Arnaldo Toro will represent the Puerto Rican men’s national basketball team after qualifying at the Olympics for the first time since 2004.
Toro has represented the Puerto Rican under-16, under-17, and senior national basketball teams in his career and recently played in the Olympic qualifying tournament. The Hormigueros native averaged 1.0 points and 6.5 rebounds per game across four contests as Puerto Rico finished a perfect 4-0.
After spending four seasons at George Washington, in which he averaged 6.5 points and 6.2 rebounds across 99 games, redshirting early in his junior year due to injury, Toro transferred to St. John’s in the pandemic-impacted 2020-21 season. Toro played a minor role through 21 games and four stars, averaging 1.2 points and 1.8 rebounds while shooting 37.5% from the field and 63.6% from the free-throw line.
Since graduating, Toro has played for multiple teams professionally overseas, suiting up for BC Nokia in Finland, Cariduros de Fajardo in his native Puerto Rico, Landstede Hammers Zwolle in the Netherlands, and VEF Riga in Latvia.
In the 2023-24 season, Toro led VEF Riga to a Latvian Basketball League (LBL) championship, winning Finals MVP and the Center of the Year award after averaging a double-double with 12.0 points and 12.9 rebounds per game. Toro will return to his homeland this winter to play for Santeros de Agauda.
The other alums participating in the Olympics are two former fencing standouts: Poland’s Jan Jurkiewicz and Tunisia’s Fares Ferjani.
Jurkiewicz became the 2023 NCAA men’s foil national champion and was named a First Team All-American. He will make his Olympic debut this summer, competing in the men’s foil competition.
Ferjani had an impeccable collegiate career, earning three First Team All-American honors and a Second Team All-American honor. He is participating in his third Olympic Games, competing in the men’s saber competition, and seeking his first Olympic medal.
Ferjani will have support from his college fencing coach, Yury Gelman, who will be an assistant coach for the United States and Tunisia fencing teams in this summer’s games.
The 2024 Summer Olympics will run from Friday, July 26, to Sunday, August 11. Coverage of this year’s games will be on NBC, their streaming service Peacock, and its family of networks (CNBC, Golf Channel, E!, USA Network).