Minnesota's Tokyo 2020 Olympic hopefuls

Olympic hopefuls

Regan Smith isn't the only Minnesota athlete hoping to make next summer's Olympic squad. Here's a look at the hopefuls vying for a spot on Team USA.

From: St. Cloud.

Olympics: 2012, 2016 (silver)

Road to Tokyo: An 11-time U.S. champion who on Saturday won her second world championship, Willoughby—who married fellow BMX star Sam Willoughby in 2017—is a favorite to win a 12th national title this fall. She's ranked second in the world in the elite category.

The team: The U.S. will name the team (up to three per gender) based on June rankings.

From: Burnsville/former Gopher.

Road to Tokyo: A mainstay for the U.S. since 2014, Dixon missed the 2016 Olympics after tearing an ACL. She helped the U.S. win back-to-back golds in the Volleyball Nations League in 2018 and 2019 and was named the tournament's best blocker last year.

The team: The U.S. will host a four-nation qualifying tournament Aug. 2-4 in Louisiana, with the winner earning a spot at the Olympics. If the Americans lose, they will have another chance to qualify in January.

From: Edina.

Road to Tokyo: The rising senior at the University of Cincinnati has had an impressive debut with the U.S. national team this summer.

From: St. Paul/former Gopher.

Road to Tokyo: In her ninth season as a member of the U.S. team, Gibbemeyer has loads of big-event experience, including the 2018 world championships and the 2017 World Grand Prix.

From: Eden Prairie/former Gopher.

Road to Tokyo: Wilhite Parsons has been in several major tournaments over the past three seasons, including the 2018 world championships.

From: Stewartville/former Gopher.

Road to Tokyo: The former All-America played for the U.S. at the 2017 World Grand Prix and was named best blocker at this year's Pan American Cup.

From: Stewartville/former Gopher.

Road to Tokyo: Hannah's twin sister has won two gold medals with the U.S. at the Pan Am Cup and played in the 2017 World Grand Prix.

From: Chaska/former Gopher.

Road to Tokyo: In September, Smith will wrestle at the world championships for the second time, in Greco-Roman at 77 kilograms (170 pounds). He has made five national teams over the past six years.

The team: The world championships are the first opportunity for countries to qualify for the Olympics, with two more qualifying tournaments next year. The U.S. freestyle, Greco-Roman and women's Olympic teams will be determined at the Olympic trials, held April 4-5, 2020, in State College, Pa.

From: Apple Valley/Gophers.

Road to Tokyo: After a strong freshman season ended with a third-place finish at the NCAAs, the heavyweight prodigy nearly made the U.S. team for the world championships. Steveson rolled through the qualifying tournament in the freestyle 125kg (275 pounds) class; though he lost to world bronze medalist Nick Gwiazdowski in the best-of-three finals, both matches were extremely close. In June, Steveson was suspended indefinitely by the U after an arrest on suspicion of criminal sexual conduct.

From: Hibbing/Augsburg.

Road to Tokyo: At Augsburg from 2011 to 2015, Fuenffinger won two NCAA Division III titles at 125 pounds. Now wrestling in the Greco-Roman 60kg (132 pounds) class, he won the U.S. Open championship last spring and lost in the finals of the tournament that decided the U.S. team for the world championships.

From: Shoreview.

Road to Tokyo: Condie, who learned to climb at Vertical Endeavors in St. Paul, was the first woman named to the USA Climbing national team. She is a fixture on the pro climbing circuit and won the combined event — mirroring the format that will be used at the Olympics — at last year's Pan American Championships.

The team: Climbing will make its Olympic debut with a single event for each gender, combining the disciplines of bouldering, lead climbing and speed climbing. Countries can qualify two men and two women. The world championships are in August.

From: the Lynx.

Olympics: Augustus and Fowles have three gold medals (2008, 2012, 2016), Moore has two (2012, 2016), and Reeve was an assistant coach for the 2016 gold medal team.

Road to Tokyo: All five players are part of the U.S. women's national team player pool, but none of them made the 12-player roster for the 2018 World Cup. Reeve already has been named an assistant to coach Dawn Staley.

The team: The 12 Olympic players will be named next year.

From: Former Timberwolf.

Road to Tokyo: Hummel was named MVP at the FIBA 3x3 World Cup in June after leading the U.S. to its first World Cup gold medal. The former Purdue forward, who played 98 games for the Wolves from 2013 to '15, was part of a team with Canyon Barry, a guard for the Timberwolves' G-League affiliate in Iowa.

The team: Countries qualify through a series of tournaments. There are four athletes per team; the U.S. has not finalized its selection procedures, but players must accumulate ranking points to be eligible.

From: Lakeville.

Road to Tokyo: Smith dazzled at the world championships, winning gold in the 200-meter backstroke and setting a world record in the semifinals. She's also one of the world's best in the 100 back, and her growing strength in other strokes could make her a multiple-event threat.

The team: A team of 26 men and 26 women will be determined by performances at the Olympic trials, held in Omaha June 21-28, 2020.

From: Blaine.

Road to Tokyo: The latest great backstroker from Minnesota, Stadden won gold in the 200 back at last year's Junior Pan Pacific Championships. She was third in the 200 back at the 2018 national championships and swam a personal-best time of 59.71 seconds in the 100 back this spring.

From: Gophers diving team.

Road to Tokyo: Bacon was one of two U.S. divers to qualify for the women's 3-meter competition at the world championships, where she finished 14th. She's a two-time NCAA champ and world silver medalist on the 1-meter board.

The team: Bacon will compete at the upcoming Pan American Games to try to earn the U.S. an Olympic berth in women's 3-meter. Countries can qualify up to two entries in each individual Olympic event.

From: Gophers diving team.

Road to Tokyo: Hayden and Bacon teamed up in 3-meter synchronized diving last year and finished third at the U.S. championships. They moved up to second this year, missing out on a national title and a berth at the world championships by only 5.43 points.

The team: The U.S. has yet to earn an Olympic berth in women's 3-meter synchronized. Countries can qualify one entry in each synchronized event. The divers will be determined by results at the Olympic trials, held June 14-21 in Indianapolis.

From: Isanti.

Road to Tokyo: A member of the U.S. senior national team since 2017, McCallum won team gold at the 2018 world championships. She was fourth in all-around at last year's U.S. championships and was the all-around bronze medalist at the U.S. Classic earlier this month.

The team: The women qualified as a team for the Olympics by winning the 2018 world championship. Under new Olympic rules, the team competition will include only four gymnasts per country; the top two finishers at the U.S. Olympic trials will automatically qualify, and two others will be chosen by committee. The U.S. also can earn up to two spots for individual gymnasts, who would be chosen by World Cup Series results or committee.

From: St. Paul.

Road to Tokyo: Lee is in her first year of senior competition and is on the 17-member national team roster. As a junior last year, she was the national champ on uneven bars and runner-up on balance beam; she has had a strong start as a senior, finishing second on bars at the recent U.S. Classic.

From: Stillwater.

Road to Tokyo: A member of USA Skateboarding's first-ever national team, Hause began competing in pro events in 2013 at age 15. She placed fifth in women's park at the X Games in 2018 and was fourth in 2017.

The team: Skateboarders can qualify with a top-three finish at next year's park and street world championships, or by earning world ranking points.

From: Minneapolis, formerly.

Olympics: 2016

Road to Tokyo: A native of the Philippines and naturalized U.S. citizen, Obanana left her adopted hometown of Minneapolis to chase an Olympic berth in 2016. After competing in women's doubles at the Rio Games, she is teaming with Howard Shu in mixed doubles; they are ranked 65th.

The team: The Olympic qualification period runs from April 2019 through April 2020, with Olympic berths allocated based on the world rankings.

From: Minneapolis.

Olympics: 2008, 2012 (bronze), 2016.

Road to Tokyo: An Olympian in both the quadruple sculls and the double sculls, Kalmoe will compete at the world championships next month in the women's pair with Tracy Eisser.

The team: The world championships, held Aug. 25-Sept. 1 in Austria, mark the first opportunity for countries to qualify for Olympic events.

From: Forest Lake.

Road to Tokyo: A graduate of the U, Bellows now trains with the Craftsbury Green Racing Project in Vermont. He will represent the U.S. in the men's single sculls at the Pan American Games later this month.

From: Winona.

Road to Tokyo: A former sprinter at Arkansas-Little Rock, Clark was named to the 12-man roster for the upcoming Pan American Games, where he is expected to make his national team debut.

The team: The U.S. men's sevens already have earned an Olympic berth. Players will be evaluated and U.S. coaches will choose the roster.

From: St. Francis.

Road to Tokyo: A four-time NCAA champion at Arizona State, Ewen is the defending U.S. champ in shot put and is ranked seventh in the world. She finished fourth in the hammer throw at this week's national championships in Des Moines and is also competing in the shot put.

The team: The U.S. roster will be determined at the Olympic trials, held June 19-28 in Oregon.

From: Stillwater/former Gopher.

Olympics: 2016.

Road to Tokyo: Winner of two Big Ten indoor titles in the mile, he competed at the 2016 Rio Olympics and finished eighth in the 1,500; he competes in Sunday's final in that event at the national championships. A member of Oregon Track Club Elite, he ran a personal-best mile time of 3 minutes, 52.51 seconds last month.

From: Minneapolis/former Gopher.

Olympics: 2016.

Road to Tokyo: A multiple All-America honoree, he won seven Big Ten titles at distances from 3,000 to 10,000 meters. He recently has been most successful in the 5,000, finishing 11th at the 2016 Rio Olympics and third at last year's U.S. championships; this year's 5,000 final is Sunday.

From: Richfield/former Gopher.

Road to Tokyo: The 2018 NCAA champion in the 3,000 steeplechase finished fourth at this year's NCAA meet before running a personal-best time of 8:28.49 earlier this month. He competed at the U.S. championships for the first time and finished sixth Saturday at 8:42.00.

From: Rosemount.

Road to Tokyo: Last winter, Otterdahl won the NCAA indoor crown in the men's shot put and set a collegiate record with a throw of 71 feet, 6¾ inches, the second-longest indoor throw in the world this year. He recently turned pro and finished sixth at the U.S. championships at 67-9¾.

From: St. Paul.

Road to Tokyo: A state cross-country champion at Mounds Park Academy, Ferlic ran the third-best time in the opening heats of the men's 3,000 steeplechase at the U.S. championships and finished fifth at 8:37.99.

Rachel Blount