St. Louis to Host 2020 U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Trials

USA Gymnastics and the United States Olympic Committee have awarded the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Gymnastics to St. Louis, Mo.  Scheduled for June 25-28, the trials will be held at Enterprise Center, home of the St. Louis Blues. In conjunction with the trials, the 2020 USA Gymnastics National Congress and Trade Show will be staged at the America’s Center Convention Complex.  The men’s and women’s gymnastics teams for Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 will be named in St. Louis.

“Bringing the men’s and women’s trials to St. Louis adds another page to the city’s Olympic history book,” said Li Li Leung, president and CEO of USA Gymnastics.  “We look forward to working with the USOC, St. Louis Sports Commission and the Enterprise Center team in planning and hosting a trials that provides the perfect setting for the last stage of the USA’s top gymnasts’ journey to Tokyo and creates lasting memories for athletes and fans alike.”

2020 marks the first time St. Louis, the site for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Men’s Gymnastics, will hold the Olympic Trials for both men’s and women’s gymnastics. St. Louis has also played host to the 2016 U.S. women’s national championships, which was held with the men’s trials, and the 2000 and 2012 U.S. Championships for men’s and women’s gymnastics.

“As an organization dedicated to raising the profile and impact of St. Louis’ Olympic affiliation, the Sports Commission is honored to host the nation’s top gymnasts on their last stop before the Olympic Games in Tokyo,” said Frank Viverito, president of the Sports Commission.  “Next year’s trials are an exclamation point to a wonderful run of major gymnastics events we’ve been able to host in St. Louis.  We’re grateful to have the opportunity to work with USA Gymnastics once again, and we look forward to partnering with our colleagues at Enterprise Center and our local gymnastics community to deliver an exceptional event next summer.”

“I’m thrilled the 2020 Olympic Trials will be held in St. Louis,” said Nastia Liukin, 2008 Olympic all-around champion and NBC commentator. “I’ve been there many times, both competing and commentating with NBC, and have nothing but great memories of the city. Olympic Trials are such a monumental competition in any athlete’s career so we can’t wait to have the city of St. Louis cheer on our athletes on their way to Tokyo”

“Hearing your name called as a member of the Olympic team is one of the most incredible moments in an athlete’s life,” said Sam Mikulak of Newport Coast, Calif./U.S. Olympic Training Center, 2012 and 2016 Olympian and two-time World medalist.  “The atmosphere at the 2016 trials was electric, and I am looking forward to returning to St. Louis in hopes of making a third Olympic team.  We have already begun the road to Tokyo and for a select few of us, St. Louis will be the last stop before heading to Tokyo.  I hope St. Louis will come out and cheer on all of the men and women who have the opportunity to compete here next year.”

All-session tickets will go on sale to the general public later this year. Discounted all-session tickets are available through local gymnastics clubs that are participating in the gym club ticket program. The competition schedule, which is subject to change, is below, and times listed are in the Central time zone. 

• June 25:  men’s gymnastics, 7 p.m.
• June 26:  women’s gymnastics, 7:30 p.m.
• June 27:  men’s gymnastics, 2 p.m.
• June 28:  women’s gymnastics, 7:30 p.m.

“We are thrilled that USA Gymnastics and the USOC are endorsing the extensive upgrades to our facility by giving our city and facility the opportunity to host our nation’s top gymnasts as they compete to earn the right to represent our country in the 2020 Olympics,” said Chris Zimmerman, CEO of the St. Louis Blues and Enterprise Center.

The local partners for the 2020 trials are the St. Louis Sports Commission and Enterprise Center.

Fans attending the Olympic trials will also be able to experience the spirit and excitement of the Tokyo Games at Team USA’s interactive fan activation.

The U.S. Olympic Team Trials for all sports are a collaborative undertaking between the U.S. Olympic Committee, the national governing bodies and the local organizing committees.

Past sites for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for gymnastics include: 2016, St. Louis (men), and San Jose, Calif. (women); 2012, San Jose; 2008, Philadelphia, Pa.; 2004, Anaheim, Calif.; 1996 and 2000, Boston; 1992, Baltimore, Md.; 1988, Salt Lake City, Utah; 1984 and 1980, Jacksonville, Fla.; 1976, Los Angeles (women), and University Park, Pa. (men); 1972, Des Plaines, Ill. (men), and Long Beach, Calif. (women); 1968, Long Beach, Calif. (women) and Los Angeles (men); 1964, Kings Point, N.Y. (women), and San Fernando, Calif. (men); and 1960, West Point, N.Y.

Background information

• United States Olympic Committee.  Founded in 1894 and headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the United States Olympic Committee serves as both the National Olympic Committee and National Paralympic Committee for the United States. The USOC is focused on protecting, supporting and empowering America’s athletes, and is responsible for fielding U.S. teams for the Olympic, Paralympic, Youth Olympic, Pan American and Parapan American Games, and serving as the steward of the Olympic and Paralympic movements in the U.S. For more information, visit TeamUSA.org.
• Enterprise Center. Enterprise Center is a contemporary, 12-story glass and concrete structure located in the heart of downtown St. Louis.  The home of the St. Louis Blues Hockey Club, Enterprise Center also features a full range of arena programming, including concerts, comedy shows, family shows and other professional and college sporting events.  The arena is frequently selected by the NCAA for championship events and will play host to the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship First/Second Rounds in 2020 and the NCAA Division 1 Wrestling Championship in 2021.  Enterprise Center is privately operated by SLB Acquisition LLC, owner of the St. Louis Blues Hockey Club, under the leadership of its chairman, Tom Stillman.  Naming rights for the arena were sold in May 2018 to Enterprise, which was founded and is headquartered in St. Louis. For more information, please visit www.enterprisecenter.com.
• St. Louis Sports Commission. The St. Louis Sports Commission is the privately-funded nonprofit organization that grows, strengthens and moves   St. Louis forward through sports.  The organization uses the power of sports to enhance the area’s quality of life and generate economic and social benefit for the St. Louis region.  For more information, visit stlsports.org.
• USA Gymnastics.  Based in Indianapolis, USA Gymnastics is the national governing body for gymnastics in the United States. The organization is committed to creating a culture that encourages and supports its athletes and focuses on its highest priority, the safety and well-being of the athletes. USA Gymnastics has taken specific, concrete steps to strengthen its safe sport policies and procedures. Former gymnast and business executive Li Li Leung is the new president and chief executive officer of USA Gymnastics.  The organization’s disciplines include men’s and women’s artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, trampoline and tumbling, acrobatic gymnastics and gymnastics for all (formerly known as group gymnastics).  For more complete information, visit usagym.org.