U.S. Air Force Academy cadets qualify for Olympic trials in multiple sports

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) – Four U.S. Air Force Academy cadets qualified for the Olympic trials for the 2024 games in Paris.

Cadet 2nd Class Tommy Nagle, Cadet 3rd Class Texas Tanner and Cadet 2nd Class Patrick Hoopes qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials in swimming, track and field, and gymnastics in June. 2nd Lt. (then-Cadet 1st Class) Wyatt Hendrickson competed in the Olympic wrestling trials in April, according to the U.S. Air Force Academy (AFA).

Cadet 2nd class Tommy Nagle qualified for the U.S. Olympics in swimming. While at the Air Force Academy, he received fourth best in program history with a third-place finish in the 100 and 200-meter breaststroke at the Western Athletic Conference Championships.

Cadet 3rd Class Texas Tanner qualified for track and field hammer throw. He also qualified during his sophomore season despite the fact he began competing only two years ago. Tanner set the record with a 72.36-meter throw at a meet in Boulder on April 5 that put him in trials.

2nd Lt. (then Cadet 1st Class) Wyatt Hendrickson qualified for the Olympic trials in wrestling. He was a two-time All-American and a Big 12 champion with 104 wins, according to the AFA. He was ranked fifth national in the heavyweight division. He qualified for the Olympic trials in the 125-kilogram division.

Cadet 2nd Class Patrick Hoopes qualified in gymnastics. According to the AFA, Hoopes joined the U.S. National Team finishing 2nd place at the 2024 U.S. National Gymnastics Championships in Texas on June 2.

“Participation in athletics fosters initiative, teamwork and the will to win – attributes critical to the development of cadets into leaders of character,” said U.S. Air Force Academy Strategic Communications Randy Roughton.

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