USA Gymnastics Olympic trials to come to Louisville in 2028 in first for city

Louisville is taking a leap in the U.S. gymnastics landscape as the host city for the 2028 Olympic Trials, officials touted at an April 15 news conference.

Inside the paddock of Churchill Downs, Louisville's most iconic sports landmark, leaders from across the city, commonwealth and country celebrated the city's selection as an important stop for American gymnasts going for gold in Los Angeles in Summer 2028. The KFC Yum Center is set to host the trials June 16-19, 2028, as The Courier Journal previously reported. This is the first time Louisville has hosted the event, which dates back to 1960.

Members of the 1996 U.S. women's gymnastics team, the first gymnastics team to win gold for Team USA, were on hand for the announcement, as was Stephen Nedoroscik, the "pommel horse guy" who captivated millions at the Paris Olympics in 2024.

"Being announced as part of the Olympic team at the end of the Olympic trials is something I will never, ever forget, and I'm looking forward to hopefully being at the KFC Yum Center in two years to try to make my second Olympic team," Nedoroscik said.

Louisville is building on its experience with premier gymnastic events, having hosted the USA Gymnastics Winter Cup at the Kentucky International Convention Center from 2024-26, and at Freedom Hall in 2023. The familiarity with what Louisville has to offer factored into the decision to pick it over other bids, USA Gymnastics President and CEO Kyle Albrecht said.

More: Louisville to host 2028 USA Gymnastics Olympic Trials

"Louisville has been a host to iconic sporting events for more than 150 years. City and state leaders have welcomed our sport and rallied the community around this opportunity over the last year," Albrecht said. "We're incredibly excited about coming to Louisville in 2028."

Gov. Andy Beshear and Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg also showed their excitement inside Churchill. Beshear said he is confident Louisville and Kentucky's economic impact from the trials will be significant, as it was in Minnesota for the 2024 edition of the event.

"I got a call to come out here because we're gonna pitch these Olympic trials. And I kept thinking, 'We're really swinging big,'" Beshear said. "But you don't win big, if you don't swing big."

Greenberg said Louisville's history with hosting major sporting events means the city is "more than ready" to potentially welcome hundreds of thousands of visitors for the 2028 trials.

"As we stand here at the iconic Churchill Downs, we have a lot to celebrate," Greenberg said. "And that includes that Louisville will soon display those Olympic rings, as we welcome the 2028 USA Gymnastics Olympic trials. This is a major win for the entire city and the entire Commonwealth."

Louisville has hosted a number of other high-profile sporting events in recent years, including the 2024 NCAA women's volleyball championship, the 2023 NCAA men's basketball regional and the Kentucky Derby every year since 1875. The addition of the USA Gymnastics Olympic Trials potentially means millions of more eyes will see a Louisville-based event. About 7.6 million viewers watched Simone Biles and other hopefuls in the 2024 trials, USA TODAY previously reported.

This story will be updated.

Olivia Evans and Payton Titus contributed. Reach reporter Leo Bertucci at lbertucci@usatodayco.com or @leober2chee on X, formerly known as Twitter

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville announced as host of 2028 USA Gymnastics Team Trials