USA Swimming, the national governing body for the sport of swimming in the United States, in partnership with the Indiana Sports Corp, today announced that Indianapolis, Indiana will host the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Swimming in June 2024. For the first time ever, the event will be staged on a football field, as Lucas Oil Stadium is tapped to host the Olympic-qualifying meet in front of hundreds of thousands of families, friends and fans over nine days.
“From day one, I truly believed that there was no bigger, more exciting, everything-on-the-line Olympic event in this country than the Swimming Trials and envisioned the heights that we could take it to,” USA Swimming President & CEO Tim Hinchey III said. “Given their track record, we are incredibly confident and excited in Indianapolis’ ability to conduct a technically flawless competition and to stage a world-class event. We are also proud of Indiana Sports Corp’s commitment to partnering with us in giving back to the local community and leaving a legacy far beyond our nine-day meet.”
Held every four years, the Olympic Trials rank as the most prestigious swimming event in the United States. The 2024 Olympic Trials will serve as the sole selection meet for the 2024 U.S. Olympic Swimming Team, which will represent Team USA in the pool competition in Paris, France. While Indianapolis last hosted the swimming Trials in 2000, 2024 will mark the 100-year anniversary since Indianapolis hosted the Olympic Swimming Trials for the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris.
“We are honored to be selected as host to the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Swimming,” Indiana Sports Corp President Ryan Vaughn said. “The sports strategy in Indianapolis was built on a foundation of Olympic sports and we look forward to elevating the sport of swimming and Indy’s reputation as the city where champions are crowned through this event. This is a tremendous opportunity to engage our community beyond the competition venue and we look forward to providing a top-tier experience to all involved.”
Three temporary pools, two 50-meter and one 25-meter, will be installed over the field in Lucas Oil Stadium, which is a state-of-the-art, multi-purpose sports and entertainment venue that has hosted such prestigious events as the National Football League (NFL) Super Bowl, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Men's Basketball Championship games, the College Football Playoff National Championship, and many others. The Indiana Convention Center, connected to the stadium, will feature USA Swimming’s Toyota Aqua Zone, a can’t-miss fan activation area. The USA Swimming House, a vibrant hospitality hub, will also make its anticipated return and USA Swimming and the Indiana Sports Corp expect to create a city-wide festival throughout the course of the event to celebrate the sport of swimming.
“Indianapolis continues to solidify its place as the top host city in the country,” said Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett. “One hundred years after the road to swimming in the Paris Summer Olympics went through our city, we’re looking forward to once again highlighting the top athletes in the country. Thanks to the partnership with USA Swimming and Indiana Sports Corp, as well as the team at Lucas Oil Stadium for making this innovative event happen right here in Indianapolis.”
As part of the hosting partnership, USA Swimming and the Indiana Sports Corp will commit a total of $400,000 to Legacy Projects to ensure increased access to water for children in underserved areas of the Indianapolis region. The entities will work with programs and facilities in need of financial and programmatic assistance, with the ultimate goals of promoting the sport of swimming and the life-saving skills of water safety.
Prior to the pandemic, the 2016 Olympic Trials eclipsed all previous attendance marks with nearly 200,000 spectators across 15 sold-out sessions – in a 14,500-seat venue – and a 30 percent increase in tickets sold over 2012. More than 36 million television viewers watched live primetime coverage from the eight nights of Trials on NBC, and the event generated more than $74 million in economic impact for the city of Omaha.
The U.S. Olympic Team Trials for all sports is a collaborative, three-way partnership between the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC), the National Governing Bodies (NGB) and the local organizing committees.
Further event information and ticket details will be available at: www.usaswimming.org/home/trials.
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About USA Swimming
As the National Governing Body for the sport of swimming in the United States, USA Swimming is a 400,000-member service organization that promotes the culture of swimming by creating opportunities for swimmers and coaches of all backgrounds to participate and advance in the sport through clubs, events and education. Our membership is comprised of swimmers from the age group level to the Olympic Team, as well as coaches and volunteers. USA Swimming is responsible for selecting and training teams for international competition including the Olympic Games and strives to serve the sport through its core objectives: Build the base, Promote the sport, Achieve competitive success. For more information, visit www.usaswimming.org.
Contact: Kyle Sagendorph (719-362-6422/ksagendorph@usaswimming.org)
About Indiana Sports Corp
Founded in 1979 as the nation’s first sports commission, Indiana Sports Corp is a not-for-profit organization focused on bringing premier sporting events to Indiana to drive economic vitality, facilitate a vibrant community with civic pride and garner positive media attention. Because of this, Indiana Sports Corp is able to provide positive, sports-related opportunities for youth in the community. For more information, please visit IndianaSportsCorp.org.
Contact: Brett Kramer (317-331-0062/bkramer@indianasportscorp.org)