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Four Olympic athletes to represent Acadiana in Tokyo Games

The Rainbow Bridge and Tokyo Tower are illuminated with Olympic colours to mark 100 days countdown to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics that have been postponed to 2021 due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Tokyo, Japan April 14, 2021. REUTERS/Issei Kato

LAFAYETTE, La.(KLFY) — With the Olympics just around the corner, there are a handful of athletes from our area readying themselves to compete.

Nicole Ahsinger and Aliaksei Shostak are both trampoline gymnasts training in Lafayette at Trampoline and Tumbling Express to prepare for the 2021 Olympic Games.

Ahsinger recently earned the U.S. a spot in the trampoline competition for the 2021 Games by finishing with a bronze medal at the Italy World Cup. She competed in the 2016 Olympics as well, and she’s the first female to represent the U.S. in back-to-back Olympic Games since Jennifer Parilla in 2000 and 2004.

Shostak secured his spot after his performance in the 2019 World Championships. This year is his first time competing in the Olympics, but he was previously selected to six world championship teams.

Morgan Leleux and Armand “Mondo” Duplantis represent Acadiana in the Olympic pole vaulting competitions.

New Iberia native and ULL alum Leleux secured her spot in the 2021 Olympics after failing to qualify for the 2012 Trials and serving as the alternate for the 2016 team. She’s currently the Ragin’ Cajuns and Sun Belt Conference record-holder in pole vault, being the eighth-ever Ragin’ Cajuns athlete to qualify for the Olympic summer games.

Duplantis, an American-born, Swedish pole vaulter, is a Lafayette High School alum, and he currently holds the world indoor record and won gold as a 15-year-old in the boys’ pole vault at the 2015 World Youth Championships. He also holds multiple age group world bests.