Where to Watch: 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Gymnastics

In the words of USAG CEO Lili Leung “There is no bigger stage for gymnastics in this country than the Olympic Trials.” This weekend, Minneapolis will be home to some of the biggest names in the sport as they look to secure their spot in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Both Olympic All-Around Gold Medalists: Simone Biles and Sunisa Lee will all be taking the floor in an attempt to return to the Games. On the men’s side, it's all eyes on the NCAA as 11 total student-athletes will take part in the Olympic trials, with the hope of going to the Games to secure the first US men’s artistic gymnastics Olympic medal since 2008.

In what is potentially the deepest field in U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Gymnastics history, the pool of athletes contains four Olympians and two Olympic alternates for a dominating total of 12 medals. Simone Biles, the most decorated gymnast in history, will look to qualify for her third straight Olympic Games, and, at the age of 27, become one of the oldest U.S. gymnasts in history.

Since the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, newcomer Fred Richard has burst on the scene. The rising sophomore at the University of Michigan became the first U.S. man to win a world medal in the all-around since 2010 at worlds back in 2023. A standout in the NCAA, Richard medaled at every single event in the 2023 gymnastics championships for Michigan.

Here are 10 athletes to watch at competition this weekend:

Perhaps the most famous gymnast in history, Simone Biles is back in a historic attempt to extend her already record-breaking medal count. After withdrawing from the team final in Tokyo due to the twisties, Biles is back dominating the U.S. competition. If she makes the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team, Biles will become only one of three U.S. female artistic gymnasts to compete at three Olympic Games.

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic all-around champion will be looking to return to the Games and defend her medal. As the one of the only athletes to outscore Simone Biles in competition, Lee is not to be discounted. The St. Paul, Minnesota, native will also have the advantage of competing in her home state at this year's trials. Despite her numerous health issues over the past few years, Lee has proven she’s a true competitor after placing fourth all-around at 2024 Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships.

If you haven’t been following gymnastics for the past few years, Shilese Jones might be a new name to you. In 2022, Jones made history as one of the three athletes to top the podium at the 2022 Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics National Championships, marking the first time the U.S. had a podium consisting of all black athletes in artistic gymnastics. Since then, Jones has gone on to win six world championships medals and place second behind Simone Biles at the 2024 U.S. Core Hydration Classic. Looking to make her Olympic debut, Jones has been a favorite to watch in the race for qualification.

Since Jordan Chiles made her elite gymnastics debut back in 2017, she has been a staple on the U.S. national team. Chiles was also one of the first athletes to pursue an elite career whilst also competing in the NCAA. In her collegiate career, Chiles scored four perfect tens (four on uneven bars and two on floor) and claimed the title of 2023 NCAA uneven bars and floor champion. That same year, Chiles was a part of the 2023 Pan American Games where she won three medals with Team USA.

Another Tokyo 2020 Olympic medalist, Jade Carey was the only U.S. gymnast brought onto the team as an individual athlete. Carey is considered a vault and floor specialist and became the third consecutive U.S. woman to take home the Olympic gold medal in floor in 2020. Also an NCAA athlete, Carey won the title of NCAA all-around champion in both 2022 and 2023. At her final NCAA meet in 2024, before shifting her focus to Olympic qualification, Carey scored a perfect 10 in her floor routine at both the regional semifinals and the Pac 12 Championships.

During 2020, when there were no gymnastics competitions, Richard Richard had a realization, “When it came to getting noticed, I realized we’re not noticed," said Richard. "That’s why I ran so hard into social media.” Since then, he has garnered over 660k+ followers and 30 million likes on TikTok. In addition to his significant social media following, Richard has also dominated the NCAA and U.S. elite gymnastics scene, accumulating two world championship medals and eight NCAA championship medals in less than a year.

A veteran on the U.S. men's gymnastics team, Malone placed fifth overall at the Tokyo Olympic Games. In 2023, Malone suffered a horrific LCL injury that required three surgeries and put his Olympic dreams on hold and caused him to miss both the 2023 Xfinity U.S. National Championships and world championships. Despite this setback, Malone is determined to qualify for Paris 2024 and made his return to competition in early 2024, just over a year after his injury was sustained.

When it comes to men’s NCAA gymnastics, no team is more coveted than Stanford University. Since the departure of teammate Brody Malone, Asher Hong has become the face, and one of the most successful gymnasts in Stanford history. A six-time NCAA champion and one-time U.S. national champion, expect Hong and Richard to go head to head at each event to claim the top title of the best men’s gymnast in the U.S. 

Another men's gymnast out of Stanford, Khoi Young is considered a pommel horse and vault specialst. Despite his senior debut being interrupted by the events of 2020, Young has already won three world championship medas, two Pan American gold medals and eight NCAA championship medals. At the 2024 National Championships, Young found himself on the men's all-around podium behind temmates Fred Richard and Brody Malone.

One of the few athletes in the men’s pool with Olympic experience, Moldauer has been competing on the U.S men’s elite team since 2015. Originally a parallel bars and floor specialist, Moldauer is a threat in the men’s all-around competition. His impressive resume includes 20 NCAA championship medals, three FIG World Cup gold medals, 11 Pan American Championship medals and two world championship medals. Now, 27, Moldauer is on the hunt for his first Olympic medal and his second Olympic Games nomination.