Team USA is about to choose who will represent the U.S. in gymnastics for the 2024 Olympics, but will it be the returning stars or hopeful Olympic newcomers making the biggest splash?
Dozens of artistic gymnasts, including several from the Midwest, will be vying for a limited number of spots to secure their tickets to Paris 2024 as the Olympic team trials in Minneapolis kick off Thursday.
Among the headliners of the event are stars like Simone Biles, who is looking to lock down her third straight trip to the Games, along with her 2020 Tokyo Olympics teammates and medalists Jade Carey, Jordan Chiles and Suni Lee.
Biles is heavily favorited to win the trials, securing her an automatic spot on the Olympic team. She won both the Core Hydration Classic in May and the Xfinity National Championships earlier this month in the all around. She won every individual event as well.
But whether or not the group of veterans from the 2020 Games will retain their spots remains to be seen with athletes like six-time world medalist Shilese Jones seeking to break into the Olympic team.
On the men's side, Brody Malone, Yul Moldauer and Shane Wiskus, all of whom were on the 2020 Olympic squad, will also fight to secure their returns. But they'll face Asher Hong, Paul Juda, Fred Richard and Khoi Young, all of whom combined with Moldauer to claim team bronze at the 2023 world championships and are now looking to make it to Paris. The bronze marked the American men's first team medal at an Olympics or Worlds since 2014.
Here's what to know about the upcoming trials and how you can watch them:
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When are the US gymnastics Olympic trials?
The gymnastics trials are scheduled to begin Thursday, June 27 and continue through Sunday, June 30.
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Where are the US gymnastics Olympic trials?
Target Center, home of the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves and WNBA's Minnesota Lynx, in Minneapolis, is the site of the gymnastics trials.
How can you watch the US gymnastics Olympic trials on TV and streaming?
The gymnastics trials will air across NBC and USA Network.
The action will also be available to stream on Peacock, NBCOlympics.com, NBC.com, NBCSports.com and the NBC/NBC Sports apps.
What is the US gymnastics Olympic trials schedule?
Here's a full look at the event schedule:
Thursday
- Men Day 1, 6:30 p.m. ET — USA Network, Peacock
Friday
- Women Day 1, 8 p.m. ET — NBC, Peacock
Saturday
- Men Day 2, 3 p.m. ET — NBC, Peacock
Sunday
- Women Day 2, 8:30 p.m. ET — NBC, Peacock
How many gymnasts make Team USA's roster for 2024 Paris Olympics?
A total of 10 athletes — five women and five men — will make Team USA's Olympic roster.
How is Team USA's Olympic gymnastics roster determined?
The top all-around male and female scorers at the trials will automatically qualify for the Olympic team. The remaining roster spots are then awarded via the Athlete Selection Committee.
Who is competing in the US gymnastics Olympic team trials?
These are 16 female gymnasts and 20 male gymnasts set to compete in the team trials:
Women
- Simone Biles
- Skye Blakely
- Jade Carey
- Dulcy Caylor
- Jordan Chiles
- Kayla DiCello
- Shilese Jones
- Suni Lee
- Kaliya Lincoln
- Eveylynn Lowe
- Zoey Molomo
- Hezly Rivera
- Joscelyn Roberson
- Simone Rose
- Tiana Sumanasekera
- Leanne Wong
Men
- Fuzzy Benas
- Jeremy Bischoff
- Cameron Bock
- Tate Costa
- Alex Diab
- Asher Hong
- Patrick Hoopes
- Paul Juda
- Josh Karnes
- Brody Malone
- Kiran Mandava
- Yul Moldauer
- Stephen Nedoroscik
- Curran Phillips
- Frederick Richard
- Kai Uemura
- Colt Walker
- Donnell Whittenburg
- Shane Wiskus
- Khoi Young
Are any athletes are from Illinois and the Midwest?
Paul Juda
Deerfield’s Paul Juda is a member of the U.S. Men’s National Team and a graduate student at the University of Michigan. The 22-year-old was a member of the 2023 World Championship team, where he earned a bronze medal in the team event. He is returning to the trials this year, after he felt short of making the 2020 Tokyo Olympic team at the last trials.
Tate Costa
Costa is a two-time NCAA All-American and NCAA high bar national champion who attends the University of Illinois. He is originally from Narragansett, Rhode Island, and a member of the U.S. Men’s National Team.
Alex Diab
Diab is a rings specialist and member of the U.S. Men’s National Team from Hinsdale. He later went on to attend the University of Illinois where he became a two-time NCAA National Champion on rings and set a program record by winning 31 rings titles throughout the course of his college career. He also became a six-time NCAA All American. Diab was an alternative for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic team and is now set to return to the trials and attempt to make the Paris team.
Curran Phillips
Pan American champion and U.S. National Team member Curran Phillips from Naperville is also slated to attend the trials. At the 2023 Pan American Games, he took home the gold medal on parallel bars and another in the team competition. Phillips previously attended Stanford University, where he won several NCAA championship medals in the team, parallel bars, and vault competitions.
Kai Uemura
Chicago-native and U.S. National Team member Uemura is headed to competing in his first Olympic trials at only 18 years old. Previously, he won the 2023 and 2022 U.S. Gymnastics Junior National Championships. He was also a member of the gold-medal team at the 2024 Pacific Rim Championships. Uemura is an all-around gymnast, who says his favorite event is the pommel horse.
Minnesota
- Sunisa Lee: St. Paul, Minnesota
- Shane Wiskus: Spring Park, Minnesota
Michigan
- Cameron Bock: University of Michigan
- Frederick Richard: University of Michigan
Missouri
- Eveylynn Lowe: Blue Springs, Missouri
Wisconsin
- Donnell Whittenburg: Waukesha, Wisconsin
