US Olympic & Paralympic athletes enjoy calling Sarasota home during trials

SARASOTA, Fla. - Elite athletes from across the country spent the last few days at Nathan Benderson Park battling it out on the water for a chance to be nominated for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic rowing teams.

"This venue is one of the few, world-class venues in the country," Para Performance Director Ellen Minzner told FOX 13. "By world-class, I mean it is capable of hosting a world championship event. There are certain standards that you have to meet, and there's maybe only a handful of courses across all of the United States that meet those standards."

READ: Mote SEA Aquarium to focus on STEM education for students, families

Now the second time trials have been held in Sarasota. Minzner says she’s watched the facilities improve, and credits the professional structure of the course for giving athletes a glimpse at what they’ll experience on a world stage.

"Oftentimes rowing is done outside of venues like this. It's on a river, a lake, or a pond where you don't have the markings here. So to come and sort of feel that whole importance of what it is to be on a world-class venue here, in the US, it really actually helps prepare the athletes better now," Minzner added.

They, along with staff, came well before this weekend’s trials, and have enjoyed making the Suncoast a temporary home for the weeks and months spent training and undergoing evaluations.

"We love Sarasota, and I’m not just saying that – we love every time we ‘have to come to Sarasota’ for something rowing related," joked Amanda Kraus, CEO of US Rowing. "The community is so welcoming here."

"This area has expanded so much that we stay in a nearby hotel. I don't need a car. I can walk to get food. The athletes can walk to get food," Minzner explained. "So to have the convenience of being in very close proximity to everything, it's just really great and makes it more relaxing, more downtime for the athletes, more recovery time."

READ: Manatee County getting flight observation deck near SRQ airport

Coming from Boston, Minzner hasn’t minded riding a bike to work every day and taking in some Florida Sunshine.

Five rowers earned spots on the US Olympic team on Sunday. 16 others kept their hopes alive by qualifying for the world rowing final Olympic and paralympic qualification regatta.

That will be held May 19-21 in lucerne, Switzerland, with the chance to move on to Paris.

SIGN UP: Click here to sign up for the FOX 13 daily newsletter

WATCH FOX 13 NEWS