TEAM SPIRIT
Gymnast Simone Biles’ Road to Rio goes through San Jose. The U.S. Olympic Team Trials will be held at SAP Center in July.
SAP Center in San Jose will once again host the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for women’s gymnastics, with events slated for July 8 and 10. Simone Biles is among the athletes who will be vying to represent the United States at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, which get under way Aug. 5. In advance of a major competition such as the trials, Biles’ prep involves “not thinking about gymnastics or the situation,” she says, adding: “That really helps me mentally. At the end of the day, I am a pretty normal teenager, so talking with friends, being with my family or sister, or watching TV is one of the best ways I can get ready.”
As San Jose readies for the crowds who will be cheering on Biles and her fellow gymnasts, it can draw on past experience: SAP was also the venue for the 2012 trials. Steve Penny, president and CEO of USA Gymnastics, commends the city for providing “such an incredible experience for us when we are there,” he says. “We feel extremely welcomed when we are in San Jose, and the involvement of our entire gymnastics community from the Bay Area makes it very special.” Indeed, the trials are so popular, both dates sold out in advance; tickets may still be available on the secondary market.
Originally published in the July issue of Silicon Valley
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