After NCAA titles were won in Columbus, champions seek spots in Paris
COLUMBUS, Ohio ( WCMH ) — This weekend, spots on the U.S. Olympic team will be up for grabs in gymnastics, with the trials taking place at the Target Center in Minneapolis.
Columbus got a taste of the action set to come when the Covelli Center hosted the NCAA championships in April. Many of the athletes on that podium are names to watch for this weekend. And some of those championship-clinching performances had some Ohio State Olympians buzzing about what's to come in Paris.
"I think it's so mental," former Buckeye Alec Yoder said. "Gymnastics is so mental so I think if you can be sharp between the ears, then you'll be good to go on the mat."
Yoder knows a thing or two about elite competition after competing for Team USA at the Tokyo Olympics. And this year, he witnessed some performances that might help the Americans get to the podium at this year's Olympics.
"I think the team looks really strong," Yoder said. "We've got a great team and we've got a great opportunity to go out to Paris and do some great things."
Some of the standout winners included Michigan's Paul Juda, who won the NCAA floor exercise title, and the entire Stanford team that won the program's fifth straight national championship. The Cardinals were led by Asher Hong, who already has plenty of international experience after helping the United States win a bronze medal at the world championships in Antwerp, Belgium last year.
"The guys that I train with every day push me to my limit. And the coaches as well with their training plan. You just gotta trust it and grind through it," Hong said. "But we pick each other up on those hard days and we're in it together. We know that the struggle is better together than alone."
Hong's teammate, Khoi Young, won the all-around title in Columbus and he knows this competition is just a taste of what's to come.
"There's a lot of great guys not only in the NCAA. I know that there's going to be even more guys in the pool, guys that used to be in the NCAA so I know that this is only the beginning," Young said.
While Hong made the top of the podium four times at the NCAA meet, the ultimate prize awaits in Paris. But first, he has to prove himself in Minneapolis.
"Trials are going to be hard. We as Team USA are beginning to show a lot of depth within our sport and that's something that the teams that podium really have. They have over 20 guys," Hong said. "Look at Team Japan. They have 20 guys scoring over 83. That's what we're starting to have here. Not only with pro guys but with NCAA which is amazing."
And it's that depth that has past Olympians, including former Buckeye Blaine Wilson, excited about the future.
"I would say youth is good. Youth is good. I think new fresh blood will bring more vibrant stuff for the United States. More routines. I think it's good. Fresh blood is good. New blood is good," Wilson, a three-time Olympian said. "We shall see. I am very excited about it. I think it's going to be a good Olympic Games."
