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In just one month, the 2024 Paris Olympics will kick off in the City of Lights, and the United States gymnastics team will attempt to retake their international reign after earning the silver medal in 2021. In 2012 and 2016, the U.S. took home gold in the team competition. We break down how the 2024 Olympic gymnastics team will take shape.
Who is competing in the Olympic gymnastics trials?
The 2024 Olympic Gymnastics Trials will be held at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota from Thursday, June 27 through Sunday, June 30. Sixteen women will compete as they hope to land in one of the five available spots on the Olympic team.
The competitors include the last two all-around gold medalists — Simone Biles (2016) and Sunisa Lee (2021), the latter of whom is a Minnesota native. Jade Carey and Jordan Chiles will attempt to reach their second consecutive Olympics after competing in Tokyo. Shilese Jones is another name to watch after she medaled at the World Championship in both 2022 and 2023.
How is the Olympic team determined at trials?
While some sports use the Olympic trials as the sole data point to determine which competitors will be heading to the Olympics, gymnastics isn’t so cut and dry. For gymnastics, the trials are simply one last meet on top of several other major tournaments that are taken into consideration.
The winner of the all-around competition at trials earns an automatic bid onto the team, but a selection committee determines the other four competitors. They determine which gymnasts qualify for the team based on their performances at not only the trials, but at the 2023 World Championship, 2024 Winter Cup, 2024 American Classic, 2024 U.S. Classic, and 2024 U.S. Gymnastics Championships. Simone Biles is expected to win the all-around at trials.
The selection committee is looking to create a balanced team with athletes who can compete for gold in all four events — floor, bars, beam, and vault — as well as solid all-around athletes. The latter category may not stand out in any particular event but would have a better shot at medaling with strong scores in each category. The United States has taken home the individual all-around gold in every Olympic Games since 2008.
Where can I watch the trials?
The trials will air on NBC and USA Network and stream on Peacock. The women will compete at 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday and 8:30 p.m. ET on Sunday.