ST LOUIS, Mo. – Illinois alumnus Alex Diab is prepared to compete at the 2021 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in St. Louis, Mo. On Thursday, June 24 and Saturday, June 26. Thursday's session occurs at 6:30 PM CT and will be aired live on NBCSN. Coverage of Saturday's session will start at 3 PM CT on The Olympic Channel, and will continue on NBC at 4 PM CT.

Diab will be competing on still rings at the event and is attempting to earn a spot on the U.S. Olympic Team competing in Tokyo starting in late July.

The U.S. Men's Gymnastics team is comprised of four athletes selected after the conclusion of Olympic Team Trials. The U.S. earned a +1 spot for their Olympic team via a second-place all-around finish by Michigan's Paul Juda at the 2021 Pan American Gymnastics Championships. This bodes well for Diab, as this extra spot will most likely be given to an event specialist.

Diab set himself up well for competition this weekend after winning his second straight U.S. Still Rings title at the 2021 U.S. Gymnastics Championships a few weeks ago. He scored a 14.950 on night one and a 14.650 on night two to clinch the title and qualify him for the Olympic Trials.

Since Diab graduated from Illinois in 2019 after winning four straight Big Ten Still Rings titles and two NCAA Still Rings National Championships, Diab has won the rings title at the 2020 and 2021 Winter Cup Challenge, and two straight U.S. Still Rings Championships in 2019 and 2021 (2020 event was canceled due to COVID-19). He looks to culminate his stellar rings performances on the national stage with a berth to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

For the most up-to-date information and coverage of Alex Diab and the 2021 Olympic Team Trials, follow @illinimgym on Twitter and Instagram, and like Fighting Illini Men's Gymnastics on Facebook.