Introduction to the 2024 Summer Olympics
The 2024 Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony is just around the corner, and the excitement is building up. The United States is gearing up to select its top gymnastics teams to represent the country in Paris. With many talented Texan athletes in the running, the competition is expected to be fierce.
The Road to Paris
The path to Paris recently ran through Fort Worth at the Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships, where the top finishers earned their invitations to the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. The trials are scheduled to take place in Minneapolis from June 27-30, and the full team will be announced on Sunday night.
The Competition Heats! Up
The competition will be intense, with 16 women and 20 men vying for just five spots each, plus two traveling and two non-traveling replacement athletes for each squad. The women are competing for three or four spots, with Houston’s own Simone Biles expected to lead the team. Shilese Jones, a six-time World medalist, is also expected to make the cut.
Top Contenders
Other top contenders include Jordan Chiles, Biles’ training mate at World Champions Centre in Spring, who is gunning for her second Olympics. Skye Blakely, a 19-year-old from Frisco, was also a top contender, but unfortunately, she suffered an injury during practice at the Olympic Trials and had to withdraw from the competition. Hezly Rivera, a 16-year-old from Plano, has an outside shot, and Kaliya Lincoln, an 18-year-old from Frisco, could soar to a spot on the team if she’s fully recovered from her injury.
Men’s Team
On the men’s side, Asher Hong from Tomball and Colt Walker from Cedar Park are eyeing a coveted spot in Paris. Fan favorite Fuzzy Benas from Richmond is also gunning for a spot.
The Full List of Athletes
The full list of athletes competing for a spot on the Olympic team includes:
- Women:
- Simone Biles — Spring, Texas/World Champions Centre
- Skye Blakely — Frisco, Texas/WOGA Gymnastics
- Jade Carey — Phoenix, Ariz./Oregon State University
- Dulcy Caylor — Spring, Texas/World Champions Centre
- Jordan Chiles — Vancouver, Wash./World Champions Centre
- Kayla DiCello — Boyds, Md./Hill’s Gymnastics
- Shilese Jones — Auburn, Wash./Ascend Gymnastics Center
- Suni Lee — St. Paul, Minn./Midwest Gymnastics Center
- Kaliya Lincoln — Frisco, Texas/WOGA Gymnastics
- Eveylynn Lowe — Blue Springs, Mo./Great American Gymnastics Express
- Zoey Molomo — Frisco, Texas/Metroplex Gymnastics
- Hezly Rivera — Oradell, N.J./WOGA Gymnastics
- Joscelyn Roberson — Texarkana, Texas/World Champions Centre
- Simone Rose — Sammamish, Wash./Pacific Reign Gymnastics
- Tiana Sumanasekera — Pleasanton, Calif./World Champions Centre
- Leanne Wong — Overland Park, Kan./University of Florida
- Men:
- Fuzzy Benas — Richmond, Texas/University of Oklahoma
- Jeremy Bischoff — Santa Clarita, Calif./Stanford University
- Cameron Bock — Tustin, Calif./University of Michigan
- Tate Costa — Narragansett, R.I./University of Illinois
- Alex Diab — Hinsdale, Ill./EVO Gymnastics
- Asher Hong — Tomball, Texas/Stanford University
- Patrick Hoopes — Lehi, Utah/U.S. Air Force Academy
- Paul Juda — Deerfield, Ill./University of Michigan
- Josh Karnes — Erie, Pa./Penn State University
- Brody Malone — Aragon, Ga. /EVO Gymnastics
- Kiran Mandava — Cypress, Texas/Cypress Academy of Gymnastics
- Yul Moldauer — Arvada, Colo./5280 Gymnastics
- Stephen Nedoroscik — Worcester, Mass./EVO Gymnastics
- Curran Phillips — Naperville, Ill./EVO Gymnastics
- Frederick Richard — Stoughton, Mass./University of Michigan
- Kai Uemura — Chicago, Ill./Lakeshore Academy
- Colt Walker — Cedar Park, Texas/Stanford University
- Donnell Whittenburg — Baltimore, Md./Salto Gymnastics
- Shane Wiskus — Spring Park, Minn./EVO Gymnastics
- Khoi Young — Bowie, Md./Stanford University
Competition Schedule and How to Watch
The 2024 Gymnastics Olympic Team Trials will run June 27-30 in Minneapolis, with men’s events taking place Thursday and Saturday, and women’s events on Friday and Sunday. The full schedule is as follows:
- Thursday, June 27 – 5:45-8 pm CT – Men’s Day 1 (USA Network, Peacock)
- Friday, Jun 28 – 6:40-9 pm CT – Women’s Day 1 (NBC, Peacock)
- Saturday, June 29 – 2:15-5 pm CT – Men’s Day 2, Men’s Olympic Team named (NBC, Peacock)
- Sunday, June 30 – 7:10-10 pm CT – Women’s Day 2, Women’s Olympic Team named (NBC, Peacock)
Conclusion
The 2024 Summer Olympics are just around the corner, and the excitement is building up. With many talented Texan athletes in the running, the competition is expected to be fierce. Local fans will get a chance to see Simone Biles and other top athletes on the post-Olympics Gold Over America Tour coming to Houston in October. Tickets are now on sale. Who will make the cut and represent the United States in Paris? We’ll have to wait and see.
