Lucas Oil Stadium turned into a pool and soon the city will be flooded with Olympic hopefuls.
Indianapolis will host the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for swimming June 15-23 ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympics. More than 1,000 athletes will compete in hopes of securing one of 52 spots available for Team USA.
The event is set to break records. It has already created the first Olympic swimming pool in an NFL stadium, and if the anticipated 250,000 fans show up, it will be the largest swim meet in history. Here’s how to get in on all the fun:
Watch swimmers compete at Lucas Oil Stadium
Lucas Oil Stadium was transformed into an aquatic center in under a month, and most of the work was done by three Indiana-based businesses. The two and a half Olympic-sized swimming pools hold 860,000 gallons of water.
Each day of trials will have a theme, and many nights will include free merchandise for attendees. Consider spending Father’s Day poolside and enjoy a $25 meal for four people, or show student ID June 20 for a $7 meal.
Preliminary sessions start at 11 a.m. and the final sessions begin at 7:45 each night. Olympians will be named every night, but a final naming ceremony for the full team will be held June 23.
Ticket prices vary depending on the session, but seats are available for as low as $15. Day passes and full event passes are also available here.
Cheer for the 59 Indiana athletes
There are 59 Hoosiers competing in the trials, but only one, Logan Kelly of Jaguar Aquatics, is from Indianapolis. Kelly will compete in events 3 and 17.
Central Indiana will bring swimmers from Carmel, Fishers, Indianapolis, West Lafayette and Zionsville. Northern Indiana is represented by swimmers from Highland, Notre Dame, South Bend and Valparaiso. Southern Indiana will be represented by swimmers from Bloomington.
At least two Indiana swimmers will compete in every session, and event 17 – the men’s 200 meter breaststroke – has the most Hoosiers competing in a single session. See the schedule and competing swimmers for more details.
You can meet the athletes, buy merchandise and participate in other aquatic-themed activities in the Toyota Aqua Zone at the Indiana Convention Center across from Lucas Oil Stadium. Merchandise stores will open at 9 a.m., and the rest of the space will be open daily from 1-7 p.m.
Take your pic at the Eiffel Tower
A 66-foot replica of the Paris monument will light up and twinkle just like the real thing. The tower, constructed with Indiana steel by the Latinas Welding Guild, serves as a tangible connection to the Paris 2024 Olympics.
See new “All Lanes Lead to Indy” artworks downtown that explore the themes of water, swimming and the Olympics. Check out the work of five local artists, Kyng Rhodes, Joy Hernandez, Lucie Rice, Mary Mindiola and Monroe Bush.
Check out free concerts, hit the ‘swim up’ bar
Georgia Street will be a central hub for music, food, a “swim up” bar and entertainment. Festivities will kick off at 2 p.m. June 14 on Georgia Street with a block party featuring Bloomington band The Main Squeeze.
Georgia Street will be a central hub for music, food, a “swim up” bar and entertainment. Festivities will kick off at 2 p.m. June 14 on Georgia Street with a block party featuring Bloomington band The Main Squeeze.
Enjoy free concerts courtesy of USA Swimming LIVE presented by Purdue University. Check out the list of headliners below:
June 14: The Main Squeeze, Midwxst, DJ Space Bunz
June 15: lovelytheband
June 16: John Driskell Hopkins (Hop from Zac Brown Band)
June 17: The Motet
June 18: Saved By The 90s
June 19: Brittney Spencer
June 20: Taylor Swift Night: The Taylor Party
June 21: Fastball
June 22: To be announced
June 23: Six Foot Blonde
Get discounted food and drinks
Enjoy a meal, drink or treat from local businesses at a discount by showing your ticket at participating stores at any of the places listed here. The list is updated daily with restaurant deals and specialty food and drink options.
Take advantage of Olympic specials like the Lap Lane Lager with Lime at Sun King Brewery or the Golden Milkshake at Gordon’s Milkshake Bar while enjoying pool-themed sights.
Guide visitors or take your own tour
Help share the Indy love by becoming an ambassador through Indy Sports Corp. Volunteers will help direct people around the city and offer advice on making the most out of their visit.
If leading a group isn’t for you, consider registering for a Walk and Talk tour on Georgia Street with Through2Eyes founder Sampson Levingston. The free, 45-minute tours, June 15-18 and 21 and 23, will discuss water safety, Indiana swimming and Olympic swimming, and will be offered in English, Spanish and American Sign Language.
How to take the bus to downtown Indy
Avoid all the traffic by taking an IndyGo bus. Routes 8, 18, 24, 25, 28 and the Red Line have stops on Maryland Street, just a block away from the Georgia Street festivities. IndyGo has not released any route changes related to the trials.
Need help riding the bus? Follow along as Mirror Indy service reporter Sophie Young hops on the Red Line for the first time. Limited parking reservations are available at different prices.
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