Minnesota often has a strong presence at the winter Olympics — we're the state of hockey after all — but the state has a long history of cultivating athletes for the summer games, too.
Since the 1900 Paris Games, 132 Minnesota-born athletes have won a total of 62 medals, including 26 golds.
The number of Minnesota-born athletes at the Olympics peaked in 2021 with 16 competitors, making up 2.6% of the entire U.S. team and marking the highest rate since 1976. This year, eight Minnesota athletes are part of the Olympic team, representing 1.4% of the U.S. team. Despite the decrease, the percentage is higher when Paralympic athletes are included.
As the Olympics return to Paris this summer, 592 athletes have earned spots in the U.S. Olympic team — with more women competing than men, continuing a trend that started in 2012. Female representation at the Games has amplified since Title IX, a 1972 law designed to promote gender equality in educational and sports programs, went into effect.
Although the number of Minnesotans may seem small compared to states like California, the performances from Minnesota-born athletes are record-breaking. In Tokyo, swimmer Michael Andrew set the Olympic record in the 4x100m medley relay. In 2021, Minnesotans won nine medals. Notably, St. Paul native Suni Lee and Lakeville native Regan Smith each took home three medals as first-time Olympians. Alise Willoughby, who won a silver medal in cycling at the 2016 Rio Olympics, is heading to Paris this summer as Minnesota's only four-time Olympian.
Other athletes have achieved multiple medal wins from different Olympics. Soccer player Briana Scurry and basketball star Lindsay Whalen have each won two gold medals over two Olympic games.
Minnesota-born athletes have also consistently competed in a wide range of sports, but track and field, wrestling and swimming have featured the most athletes.
In track and field events, 31 athletes from Minnesota have competed, with five of them earning medals. The biggest achievement came from early participants including Alvin Kraenzlein and Frank Waller, both born in the Twin Cities. Kraenzlein is not only the first Minnesota athlete to win an Olympic medal, but also the only one to win four golds. Minnesota-born athletes have been represented in track and field across nearly every Summer Olympics.
Olympic wrestling in Minnesota dates back to 1920 when Duluth-born Angus Frantz became the first Minnesotan to make the U.S. Olympic team as a freestyle wrestler. Minnesota has a strong reputation for developing professional wrestlers, with 20 athletes born in the state competing at the Olympics.
Gable Steveson, who won gold at the Tokyo Olympics, attended Apple Valley High School and later the University of Minnesota, but he was born in Indiana.
Ten athletes from Minnesota have competed in swimming, with half of them winning a total of nine medals. In Tokyo, Smith and Andrew were the only Minnesota-born swimmers on the U.S. team. Together, they earned four medals.
Minnesota has also become a hub for elite gymnasts, producing athletes like Lee, Grace McCallum and Shane Wiskus. Lee and McCallum brought home four medals from Tokyo: 1 gold, 2 silvers and 1 bronze. Lee is returning for her second Olympics in Paris, while Wiskus will compete as an alternate on the U.S. men's team.
Some sports have been short-lived at the Summer Olympics: Men's ice hockey was introduced at the 1920 Summer Olympics and transferred to the Winter Games in 1924. Art competition was part of the Summer Olympics from 1912 to 1948.
Rugby Sevens and Sport Climbing are among the recent additions to the Summer Olympics. Rugby Sevens made its debut in 2016, with two Minnesotans competing. Kyra Condie became the first Minnesotan to compete in sport climbing when it was added to the Tokyo 2021 Games.
Other Olympic impact: Lynx, Timberwolves and Gophers
In addition to the native talents born in the state, many athletes move to Minnesota later.
The Lynx and Timberwolves have contributed almost a dozen basketball talents to the Olympics. Eight played with the Lynx. This year, Napheesa Collier and Anthony Edwards will represent Minnesota in Paris. Cheryl Reeve, longtime coach of the Lynx, has served as the head coach of the U.S. women's national team since 2021 and will lead the team in Paris.
The Gophers also play a significant role in producing athletes who compete in the Summer Olympics. Since 1924, 55 Gophers athletes have represented 17 countries, including Canada, the Czech Republic and Malaysia. Fifteen Gophers athletes have won a total of 22 medals.