The U.S. Olympic Committee announces search for The Next Olympic Hopeful

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 31, 2017

The USOC, with 24 Hour Fitness®, will identify, screen and open the door to Olympic opportunity with

USA Bobsled and Skeleton, USA Cycling and USA Rugby

Scouting Camp – The Next Olympic Hopeful premieres on NBCSN in August

Colorado Springs, Colo. – In an effort to increase and enhance the pipeline of world-class athletes pursuing Olympic sport, the United States Olympic Committee today opened enrollment for Scouting Camp – The Next Olympic Hopeful and is inviting elite American athletes of all sporting backgrounds to apply at TeamUSA.org/NextOlympicHopeful.

The program, supported by USOC partner 24 Hour Fitness, will first narrow the pool of applicants to 100 athletes (50 men, 50 women) to be invited to spend five days at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs for intensive screening and sport-specific training. The OTC serves as the heart of Olympic and Paralympic sport in the United States, and features world class training facilities and access to leaders in the field of sport medicine, science and psychology.

"Team USA and the National Governing Bodies have a proud history of helping elite athletes progress to world-champion status in pursuit of their Olympic dreams," said Alan Ashley, USOC chief of sport performance. "This program opens the door to athletes interested in pursuing Olympic sport, and determines if their physical attributes and abilities match the opportunities the USOC and National Governing Body high performance teams have identified as areas of need in our athlete pipeline."

One male and one female athlete will be invited to join the national team camps for four sports – bobsled, skeleton, track cycling and rugby. The eight athletes who are selected will be eligible to receive financial, training and medical support as they prepare for the opportunity to compete at the Olympic Games in their identified sport.

In addition to receiving professional coaching, training and sport science services while residing at the OTC, the athlete experience and progress will be highlighted on Team USA social channels, and the entire program – along with announcement of the winners – will be featured on a two-hour broadcast airing in August on NBCSN.

Athletes are invited to apply through the online portal, where they will provide detail about their experience, complete a pre-screen and submit video demonstrating pre-defined physical abilities. In addition, athletes can attend an in-person screening session on June 24 at select 24 Hour Fitness locations across 13 U.S. markets, including Austin, Texas; Dallas; Denver; Houston; Los Angeles; New Jersey/New York area; Orlando, Florida; Portland, Oregan; Sacramento, California; San Diego; San Francisco Bay Area; Seattle; and Washington, D.C. Tryout information and registration instructions are available at TeamUSA.org/NextOlympicHopeful and 24hourfitness.com.

"This is a distinctive, first-time opportunity to find talented athletes among us who have yet to find a path to fulfill their Olympic dreams. We’re honored to host the first phase auditions in our 24 Hour Fitness clubs and help the USOC identify and develop a valuable recruiting pipeline of future Olympic hopefuls," said Tom Lapcevic, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, 24 Hour Fitness. "We look forward to this exciting new chapter of our USOC partnership. Our club teams, fitness professionals and all resources stand ready to support athletes from throughout the U.S. as they begin this initial phase of their audition journey."

"USA Bobsled and Skeleton has been a pioneer in the field of talent transition. We have built a championship winning program by seeking out specific athletic types and converting them into world-class sliders," said Darrin Steele, chief executive officer, United States Bobsled and Skeleton. "We are focused on preparing our current athletes for medal contention, but we never lose sight of the pipeline of tomorrow’s champions – and this search will support us in our efforts to identify those with potential."

About the USOC

Founded in 1894 and headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the United States Olympic Committee serves as both the National Olympic Committee and National Paralympic Committee for the United States. As such, the USOC is responsible for the training, entering and funding of U.S. teams for the Olympic, Paralympic, Youth Olympic, Pan American and Parapan American Games, while serving as a steward of the Olympic and Paralympic movements throughout the country. For more information, visit TeamUSA.org.

About 24 Hour Fitness

Headquartered in San Ramon, Calif., 24 Hour Fitness is a leading health club industry pioneer, serving nearly 4 million members in over 400 clubs across the U.S. For more than 30 years, the company has been dedicated to helping members change their lives and reach their individual fitness goals. With convenient club locations, personal training services, popular GX24® studio group exercise classes and a variety of strength, cardio and functional training equipment, 24 Hour Fitness offers fitness solutions for everyone. Please visit 24hourfitness.com for more information and to find the club nearest you.

United States Olympic Committee

1 Olympic Plaza

Colorado Springs, CO 80909

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