Athletes with Utah ties qualify to compete in 2024 Summer Games
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The 2024 Summer Olympics are fast approaching, and several athletes with Utah ties are qualified to compete for the U.S.
Why it matters: Utah will get a chance to showcase its athletic talent on the global stage, especially as the state's capital city is more than likely to be the host of the 2034 Olympic Winter Games.
Between the lines: There's still a slew of Olympic trials this month that could add more former or current Utahns.
Here are the athletes who have earned their spot so far:
🏀 Basketball
Jimmer Fredette, a former BYU basketball star, will join the USA men's 3x3 basketball team.
🚵 Cycling
Haley Batten, of Park City, first started mountain biking when she was 9. She made her Olympic debut at the Summer Games in Tokyo in 2021.
- "In Tokyo, I was so focused on just attending, but for Paris, I have a different mindset," she told Salt Lake Magazine last year.
🏃 Track and field
Conner Mantz, from Logan, qualified to compete in the Olympics marathon after placing first in the February Olympic marathon trials in Orlando, Florida.
Clayton Young, of American Fork, finished second in those trials.
The intrigue: Both runners, who share a yearslong friendship after meeting at BYU, have run over 10,000 miles together, per the New York Times.
- "When I think of the reason I stuck by Conner in the Olympic trials, it's because I knew I would be better in Paris with Conner by my side," Young told the Times. "Not just in the Olympics, but in training."
🧗♀️ Sport climbing
Many climbers reside and train in Salt Lake, where USA Climbing is headquartered. They include:
Piper Kelly, the first women's speed-climbing champion.
Natalia Grossman, who qualified for the Summer Games after winning gold at last year's Pan American Games in Chile.
Jesse Grupper, who also qualified after securing a gold medal at the same event in the boulder and lead competition.
Who we're watching: Other athletes with connections to the Beehive State have qualified to compete for other countries. They include:
- University of Utah track and field athlete Josefine Eriksen, who will represent Norway;
- Former University of Utah women's basketball players Michelle Plouffe, Paige Crozon and Kim Smith Gaucher, who will represent Canada;
- And long-distance runner — and BYU athlete — Rory Linkletter, who will also join Canada's team.
What's next: The 2024 Summer Olympic games are slated for July 26 through Aug. 11 in Paris.