Here are the Minnesota Olympians to watch at the Paris Games
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More than two dozen athletes with Minnesota ties head to Paris this week for the Summer Olympics.
The big picture: Gymnast Suni Lee of St. Paul and swimmer Regan Smith of Lakeville — two of the state's buzziest Olympians — will vie to return to the podium this year.
- Both medaled in the 2020 games, with Lee taking home gold.
Zoom in: Eight members of Team USA have a hometown listed in Minnesota. They'll compete in sports ranging from sailing to volleyball.
- All but one of those athletes are from the metro. The other, BMX bike racer Alise Willoughby, is from St. Cloud.
The intrigue: Minnesotans have long been dominant in the Winter Games. There were 23 athletes on Team USA with a Minnesota hometown in 2022.
- But we're holding our own in the Summer Olympics this year, giving locals plenty of hometown heroes to cheer on.
Zoom out: The universe of athletes we can claim as our own grows when you add everyone with Minnesota ties. That group includes:
🎓 Current and former Gophers like synchronized diver Sarah Bacon, steeplechaser Matthew Wilkinson, and rowing champ Molly Bruggeman, who served until recently as the Gophers assistant coach.
- Weightlifter Mary Theisen-Lappen of Eau Claire, meanwhile, competed in track and field for Winona State University before switching sports.
🏀 Athletes from our local pro teams, such as the Timberwolves' Anthony Edwards and Lynx star Napheesa Collier, though she's struggled recently with plantar fasciitis.
- Chase Budinger, a 6'7" former forward for the Wolves-turned-pro volleyball player, is representing Team USA in beach volleyball.
- Wolves center Rudy Gobert and guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker will play for France and Canada, respectively.
🇬🇲 Minnesotans competing for other countries. Alasan Ann of Maple Grove, for example, will represent The Gambia in Taekwondo. He qualified just months after he was shot in the leg while out in the Twin Cities, per KARE 11.
- Minnesota United's Michael Boxall is playing for the New Zealand men's soccer team, and several Gophers are also competing for their home nations.
When to watch: Primetime coverage of Friday's opening ceremony begins at 6:30pm.
- That event and the Games will stream on NBC and Peacock.
⏰ Time difference awareness: Paris is seven hours ahead of the Twin Cities, so those wanting to watch competitions live will need to tune in early morning or during the day.
Go deeper: Meet the Minnesota athletes, via The Star Tribune