a-lifetime opportunity for every resident of this city,” Holt said. “Additionally, staging two sports and seven events here in the center of the country dramatically expands the reach of the Olympic experience and will leave a nationwide legacy for these Games. Oklahoma City could not be more excited as we think about 2028, as well as the many announcements and preparations that will be made in the next 1,000 days.” The collaboration reflects national enthusiasm to deliver the first Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games hosted in the United States in more than 30 years. OKC is scheduled to host the canoe slalom events July 14–22 and softball events July 23–29, 2028. “The LA28 Olympic Games will bridge regions and communities from the Pacific coast in Los Angeles to the central plains of Oklahoma City through the power of sport, highlighting their unique sporting legacies and incredible world-class venues,” Wasserman said. “We remain steadfast in our planning and working tirelessly toward creating an incredible Games experience for athletes, residents and visitors alike in 2028.” Day of Sport On Oct. 18, ahead of the 1,000-day press conference, Hoover, Holt and Team OKC—the local group coordinating OKC’s role in the Games—spent the day with dozens of young athletes, Olympians and Paralympians during LA28’s Day of Sport. The event, held at the Willa D. Johnson Recreation Center, featured hands-on clinics and drills designed to inspire the next
generation of athletes while promoting the Olympic and Paralympic values of determination, inspiration, courage, friendship, excellence, respect and equality. Team OKC also hosted venue tours at Devon Park and RIVERSPORT OKC to review preparations and planning progress with city leaders and members of the OKC Council. Guest athletes included: • Jeremy Campbell, PLY—Team USA, para track and field (2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, 2024); five-time gold medalist • Nadia Comaneci, OLY—Team Romania, gymnastics (1976, 1980); five-time gold, three-time silver and one-time bronze medalist • Bart Conner, OLY—Team USA, gymnastics (1976, 1984); two-time gold medalist • Kelly Garrison-Funderburk, OLY—Team USA, gymnastics (1988) • Michelle Moultrie, OLY—Team USA, softball (2020); silver medalist
What LA28 means for OKC OKC now joins the global Olympic movement as the city prepares to stage two sports within the 2028 Games. The decision to hold these competitions outside the Los Angeles area reflects a strategy to use existing high-quality venues rather than build new ones. Devon Park routinely hosts major collegiate and international tournaments. The Whitewater Center at RIVERSPORT OKC is a U.S. Olympic & Paralympic training site and has hosted canoe slalom trials and world-ranking events. With the 1,000-day mark reached, OKC’s business and civic community should focus on next steps: leveraging local infrastructure, enhancing visitor readiness and integrating the broader economy into the Games opportunity.
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