Sarasota Facilities are Famous for Training U.S. Olympians
Sarasota’s prestigious sports facilities attract Olympian talent of all types. Meet the athletes from here, or who train here, for the Games!
Florida’s temperate climate and sports-oriented culture have long attracted elite athletes and their coaches. In fact, Florida ranked among the top 20 states for the most athletes competing in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
Sarasota is at the top of its game in that ranking home to some of the state’s most prestigious training facilities hosting some of the country’s most celebrated Olympians at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Competing in gymnastics, swimming, shooting and tennis, Sarasota athletes, some native residents, trained hard in Sarasota to qualify and win medals.
Selby Aquatic Center is Where Olympic Swimmers Find Their Lane

The Selby Aquatic Center is operated by the non-profit Sarasota Sharks, Inc. The center consists of a 50-meter, Olympic-size pool and a 25-meter warm-up pool. The Sarasota Sharks is a Gold Medal USA Swimming competitive swim team that has been developing champions in Sarasota since 1961. The Sarasota Sharks also offer Swim School for ages 3 through adult, non-competitive swim team, Synchronized Swimming, Masters Swimming, Masters Water Polo, and Open Swim each day for ages 18 and over.
Emma Weyant - Swimming
Emma Weyant, a two-time Olympian and medalist in the 2020 Tokyo and 2024 Paris Games, is a Sarasota native and graduate of Riverview High. Weyant, a Sarasota Sharks swimmer who trains at Selby Aquatic Center, won a Silver Olympic medal in the women's 400-meter individual medley in Tokyo. At the 2024 Paris Games, Weyant won the Bronze medal in the women’s 400-meter individual medley.

Summer McIntosh – Swimming
Summer McIntosh, also a Sarasota Shark, is a Canadian native who trains locally in Sarasota at Selby Aquatic Center. McIntosh made her Olympic debut at 14. She is a three-time Olympic champion, four-time World Aquatics champion, and two-time Commonwealth Games gold medalist. Noted for her medley and butterfly events, McIntosh added four Olympic medals to an already record-breaking competitive swimming career at the 2024 Paris Games. McIntosh won four individual medals (three Gold for the 200-meter butterfly, 200-meter medley and 400-meter medley and one Silver for 400-meter freestyle).
Selby Aquatic Center, 8501 Potter Park Drive, Sarasota, FL 34238
Nathan Benderson Park is home to U.S. Rowing & Olympic Champions

Nathan Benderson Park is one of only a handful of sites in North America identified as having all of the natural attributes that make up a premiere rowing facility. The park began hosting organized regatta competitions in 2009 and is now the home of U.S. Rowing and Olympic Champions. Athletes row the world-class, permanent, FISA Class A 2,000-meter sprint rowing and training course — the only such course in North America. The park is home to a range of international championships as well as a host of recreational activities for anyone who enjoys the outdoors – from dragon boat, canoe and kayak races to triathlon and cross-country events, 5-k and 10k runs, corporate training events and more.

Clark Dean – Rowing
Rower Clark Dean, who grew up in Sarasota and trains with the Sarasota Crew rowing club, won a bronze medal with Team USA in the Men's Eight at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Dean also competed in the 2020 Tokyo Games and was one of five rowers from across the country nominated in the U.S. Rowing's Junior Athlete of the Year "fan's choice" award, in which the public votes for the most deserving athlete.
5851 Nathan Benderson Park Circle, Sarasota, FL 34235
EVO Gymnastics is a Fertile Training Round for Olympic Gymnasts
Evo Gymnastics is a premier training facility with a highly skilled and passionate team of coaches and instructors, ready to guide boys and girls of all ages on their gymnastics journey. With 40,000+ square feet, the world-class gymnastics training center houses internationally certified competitive apparatuses and all the equipment and matting an Olympian trainee needs.
Stephen Nedoroscik - Gymnastics
Known fondly as the “Pommel Horse Guy,” Stephen Nedoroscik captured the attention and hearts of the Olympic world stage for his performance on the pommel horse and his "Clark Kent" features. At the 2024 Paris Games, Nedoroscik took home two Bronze medals, one individual for the pommel horse and another for Team USA. Nedoroscik, a resident of Sarasota, trains at EVO Gymnastics in the Men's Artistic program. The 2024 Paris games were Nedoroscik’s first. Prior to the Paris games, Nedoroscik won four U.S. pommel horse titles, tying for the most in U.S. history.
Brody Malone – Gymnastics
Brody Malone, a Sarasota resident who also trains at Evo Gymnastics, made his first Olympic appearance in Tokyo in 2020 and joined the U.S. team in Paris. Malone was awarded a Bronze medal with Team USA at the 2024 Paris Games. Malone is a seven-time NCAA champion and was the 2021 U.S. all-around and vault champion and earned silver on still rings and high bar.
Shane Wiskus – Gymnastics
Shane Wiskus, another award-winning EVO Gymnastics trainee joined Nedoroscik and Malone in Paris. Wiskus, a native of Minnesota who lives and trains in Sarasota, was the 2024 Winter Cup all-around silver medalist and floor exercise and high bar bronze medalist.
Evo Gymnastics, 7188 15th Street East, Unit 2, Sarasota, FL 34243
Sarasota Plays Host to Athletes & Sports of All Kinds
Other recent Sarasota Olympians include Jake Ilardi of Osprey who learned to skate at Sarasota’s Downtown Payne Skate Park and qualified to compete in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as part of the first-ever U.S. Olympic skateboarding team.
Two-time Olympian and one-time medalist, Mary Tucker, a Sarasota Military Academy graduate, competed in the air rifle and three positions events at the 2024 Paris Games. Tucker made her Olympic debut at the 2020 Tokyo Games where she earned a silver medal alongside Lucas Kozeniesky in 10m Air Rifle Mixed Team.
And while MLB players are not currently eligible to compete in the Olympics, there is interest in them participating in the next Summer Games, and some star players have publicly expressed their support. If you can't make it to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics to see your favorite ballers compete, head to Sarasota for Spring Training at two state-of-the-art stadiums, including Ed Smith Stadium, home to the Baltimore Orioles, and CoolToday Park, home to the Atlanta Braves.

Learn more about Sarasota County's world-class sporting venues, training facilities and upcoming events here!