Tate Costa spent the last weekend of June 2012 with his eyes glued to the TV. Watching the U.S. Olympic Team Trials ahead of the London Olympic Games that took place later that summer, Costa idolized the gymnasts who were competing in a sport he started only one month earlier.
Nearly 12 years and three Olympic cycles later, Costa found himself at that same competition, this time as one of 20 gymnasts fighting for the opportunity to represent the United States at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
"It's crazy to think that 12 years later, I was at that meet," Costa said. "It's crazy to have a full-circle moment of actually being there and competing."
The last three months of Costa's life have been nothing short of spectacular. After winning the NCAA high bar national title and earning two-time All-American status in April, he earned a spot at the 2024 Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships at the end of May before taking part in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in June.
"It's really unbelievable. It's been a crazy year," Costa said. "At this time last summer, if I told my past self the things I did this year, I'd be like, 'You're crazy. That just can't be true.' It was an unbelievable year, and I'm so grateful for all of it. I've made a lot of progress in one year, and I'm super proud of the year I've had. All of it is still kind of surreal.Â
"Now that it has happened, I've reflected on it a little bit, and I'm ready to do more in the upcoming year."
Costa's debut collegiate campaign in 2023 was far from ideal. After suffering injuries from getting run over by a bus in the winter, he made only seven appearances, leaving him unsatisfied yet increasingly motivated heading into his sophomore season.
Looking to achieve greater things on a personal level and as a team in 2024, Costa was voted by his teammates into the role of captain. With feelings of disappointment and ambition serving as fuel, he made it his mission to get back on track in his second year in Champaign.
"You only have four years in college. You only get so many years of being healthy to be able to do a sport like gymnastics, and I didn't want to waste a second of it," Costa said. "There's not much longevity in it, so you have to take advantage of the time you have. That's what I thought to myself at the end of my freshman year going into the offseason."
Costa stayed healthy and took advantage of the opportunity to step into a bigger role, competing in all 14 meets as an all-arounder while winning seven total event titles. A year full of hard work culminated in national glory for the first time in his career when he stood atop the podium at the NCAA Championships in Columbus, Ohio.
Finishing 25th overall in the all-around at the U.S. Championships in Texas one month later, Costa earned a spot on the USA Gymnastics Senior Development Team and the opportunity to compete at the Olympic Team Trials in Minnesota.
Walking into Target Center in Minneapolis, Costa focused on savoring the moment and enjoying the atmosphere, using the event to gain invaluable experience heading into the next Olympic cycle in 2028.
"I didn't have any expectations. I was just trying to do my best out there," Costa said. "It was good to get those experiences under my belt this early because four years from now is probably going to be when I'm at my best in gymnastics. Having the opportunity to get one under my belt was huge. I think I'll have a lot more confidence because I've been there already, and I'll feel a little more comfortable in that space.
"I definitely wanted to soak it all in and remember it because in four years, it's gonna come around again, and I want to be ready for it and be ready to make that Olympic team."
Costa heads into the 2025 season as the reigning national high bar champion with increased goals and expectations for himself and the Fighting Illini men's gymnastics team. Named a captain for the second consecutive campaign, Costa is more confident and motivated than ever before, and he is ready to get right back to work in pursuit of returning to national glory.
"This last season definitely gave me a sense of belief in what I'm capable of," Costa said. "I now have goals for the next four years. I want to make an Olympic Team, make a World Championships Team, make the Senior National Team. I want to set myself up to compete at international competitions and show that I'm ready to compete for the United States at the Olympic Games.Â
"On top of that, in terms of NCAA goals, I want to win more national titles. I want to bring this team to a national championship. The coolest experience you can have in gymnastics is to be at a team competition with your boys competing for your school. It's just different. There's nothing more I want than to win NCAAs as a team."
