Lexi Zeiss' Olympic dreams continue to accelerate in Minnesota
CHAMPLIN, Minn. -- The U.S. Gymnastic Olympic Trials are in Minneapolis next year, where there will be multiple Minnesotans competing for a spot.
Lexi Zeiss is one of them. She was late to fully commit to the sport. Waiting until 6th grade to narrow her focus.
"You know, I didn't really have that thought of going that far until I realized, like, 'oh ok, I'm kind of good,'" she said.
That led to a decision two years ago to move from Omaha, Nebraska to Minnesota, to train at Twin City Twisters.
"Obviously you can push yourself and you push yourself as hard as you can, but there's a different type of push coming from other people," Zeiss said.
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Zeiss and and her parents still split time between the two states. She quickly bonded with her new teammates. The energy she brings to the gym is electric, even sparking something in Sarah Jantzi, her coach who has Olympic experience.
"I brought a different energy for myself coaching and a different love and passion back that, you know you work really really hard and you sometimes, even athletes, you sometimes lose the reason why you started coaching or the reason why you started doing gymnastics and I think that's what was brought back for me," Jantzi said.
Now, the Olympic Trials are what separates Zeiss from her dream; and they're happening in her adopted home state.
"It was really exciting just knowing that, even though it's not my 'home' hometown, but it's my home right now," said Zeiss, who took 2nd in the all-around at the Pan American Games in 2022 and was an alternate on the Team USA World Championship 1st place team in 2022.
The Olympics are a real possibility.
"It'd be so cool," said Zeiss. "Sarah [Jantzi's] done it before. I know she can get me there. So I'm just gonna work hard the next year. Ultimately my goal is get the Olympic trials first so, focusing on the small goals to get to the Olympic Trials is the main thing right now. And see what the future holds.