Flying High: Preparing for the 2026 Special Olympics

Ava Wiederholt’s path to the 2026 Special Olympics was paved with eight years of dedication and a constant refrain: "I got this." The 16-year-old Richfield High School student first found out she made the prestigious four-athlete USA Gymnastics team during a video call with her family at a restaurant on the way to a Post Malone concert! “I was super excited,” she said. “My whole family was super excited!”

Ava will compete in Artistic Gymnastics, where she shines on the bars and the floor. She loves the uneven bars: "My favorite part is going off the bar and feeling like you're flying," she explains. She also loves the floor event for dancing and tricks. Having started gymnastics at eight years old thanks to a suggestion from a school teacher who coached at Mini-Hops Gymnastics, Ava now practices every weekend, balancing the demands of national training with high school life.

Ava is the youngest athlete on the USA Games gymnastics team, and her journey has been fueled by personal resilience and incredible role models. While she admits that falling down a lot is a challenge in gymnastics, her motivation to "always get back up" is inspired by Olympic gold medalist Suni Lee. Ava admires Lee’s perseverance, citing how she overcame a health challenge to compete at the Paris Olympics as a reminder to never give up. Her greatest training memory centers on the community that supports her, recalling the cheers at her very first events and the close bond of her current training group. Now, as she looks toward the 2026 Games, she is thrilled by every aspect of the experience, from the chance to be on Team USA to the excitement of pin trading and wearing the new team uniforms (which are a secret and she can’t tell us about them!).

When she isn't in the gym, Ava focuses on her high school passions, including Just for Kix dance classes and Richfield Cheer. In school, Photography and Culinary Arts are her favorite classes. “I love cooking and photography,” she explained. Ava manages her busy schedule by prioritizing homework during the school day, allowing her free time for practice. Looking to the future, Ava plans to attend college, pursue a good job, and continue competing at Mini-Hops, which offers an unlimited age program.

Ava hopes her story inspires others, delivering a powerful message: “Never give up on your dreams, even if you are different.” For Ava, this is the driving force behind the flight she takes every time she leaves the bar, soaring toward the ultimate achievement of the Special Olympics stage in 2026.

The 2026 Special Olympics will be held in Minnesota this year! June 20-26, 2026, the Special Olympics USA Games will unite over 100,000 athletes, coaches, volunteers and fans. The University of Minnesota is the official host venue and other premier locations, including the National Sports Center in Blaine.