What to know about the U.S. Olympic Team Gymnastics Trials in Minneapolis
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Minnesotans Suni Lee and Shane Wiskus are looking to return to the Games. Photos: Elsa/Getty Images and Jamie Squire/Getty Images
The nation's top gymnasts — including two Minnesotans — land at Target Center Thursday to flip, twist, and spring for a spot on Team USA.
Why it matters: The Olympic trials are vaulting these elite athletes and the city of Minneapolis into the national spotlight.
The big picture: Officials expect the four-day event to attract big crowds — and local spending — to downtown as families and fans gather to cheer on the gymnasts.
Between the lines: While the athletes take center stage at the trials, city leaders say the broader economic impact comes from the families, coaching staff, and fans who take part.
- Hotel occupancy data won't be available until next week, but Meet Minneapolis expects 100,000 people to participate in some way.
What they're saying: Mayor Jacob Frey touted the trials as the latest in a series of "Taylor Swift and Beyoncé-like events" boosting the standing of a city still recovering from the pandemic and the 2020 riots.
- "These large-scale events that have been coming to our city have largely gone off without a hitch," he said. "The city has been coming back in fine form."
Who we're watching: St. Paul's Suni Lee, who won a gold medal at the 2020 Games, is looking to return to the team — and the podium — after health issues threatened to end her career.
- Fellow Olympian Shane Wiskus, a former Gopher and three-time NCAA men's champ who grew up in Spring Park, is competing on the men's side.
What to expect: Both are favored to return to the Games, but they will still have to edge out more than a dozen competitors to clinch one of five spots on their respective teams.
- Men compete on Thursday and Saturday, and women on Friday and Sunday.
The catch: Locals who want to cheer on the homegrown stars in person should be ready to shell out for tickets.
- Passes for all four days at the Target Center start at about $450 and are currently available on the secondary market for between $300 to $2,000.
Yes, but: Single-day tickets were available on secondary seller sites for less than $100 as of Tuesday.
Plus: Those who can't watch in person can still take part in the fun for free.
- Nicollet Mall will be transformed into "Promenade du Nord," a Parisian street fair with local vendors, food, and live performances to honor the Paris Games. More than 1,000 gymnasts will take part in an 11:30am Thursday kick-off event.
- The "Flip Zone" outside Target Center will have demos, a parkour course, and a 20-foot "free fall" into a giant airbag.
- The full schedule of outdoor events also includes athlete performances, live music, and autograph signings by gymnastics stars outside Target Center and nearby Target Field.