Pittsburgh-area athletes taking stage at Team USA Olympic trials this weekend

PITTSBURGH — Team USA is quickly taking shape as the countdown to the Paris Olympics continues.

By Sunday, the gymnastics and track and field teams will be in place following trials this weekend.

In addition to the big names participating in trials, three athletes from Western Pennsylvania are vying for a spot.

In the women’s javelin semi-final, Union AC Valley graduate Evie Bliss and Connellsville’s Madison Wiltrout will aim to finish in the top 12 to advance to Sunday’s final.

Knoch graduate Jordan Geist begins his second attempt at Team USA in the hammer throw.

Geist fell just short of qualifying in the shotput last week. He placed fourth, while the top three go to Paris.

The finals for both the women’s javelin and men’s hammer are Sunday.

It will also be a packed house all weekend in Minneapolis as the gymnastics trials continue.

The men kicked things off Thursday, while the women begin competition Friday.

All eyes will be on Simone Biles who is aiming to make her return after pulling out of parts of the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

She’ll be looking to add to an already renowned legacy.

“She’s an icon in her sport,” said Alicia Sacramone Quinn, a strategic lead with USA Gymastics. “I don’t know if there will ever be another gymnast who will ever come close to touching her caliber of achievements, difficulty and just the impact that she’s had on her sport.”

Gymnastics and track and field trials air on Channel 11 and Peacock.

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