The 2021 Olympics ended on Sunday, with the closing ceremonies held in a nearly empty stadium, putting a strange ending on a strange 17 days of drama and competition.

Minnesotans were holding their own Olympic ceremonies, hailing gold medal gymnast Sunisa Lee with a parade in her hometown. She is the perhaps the biggest, but not the only Minnesota hero of the games. She and Grace McCallum of Isanti helped pull the US women’s gymnastics team to a team silver medal after the loss of their leader, Simone Biles. Lee later won gold in the all around, and a bronze in the uneven bars.

Minnesotans also cheered Gable Steveson, whose improbable rally from behind with less than a second left in his gold medal match in 125 KG freestyle wrestling. The Apple Valley high school and U of M star is the first Gopher wrestler to win a gold medal.

Swimmers Bowe Becker and Regan Smith of Minnesota brought home medals –Becker a gold in the 4×100 freestyle, and Smith two silvers and a bronze. Jordan Thompson of Edina played on the gold medal women’s volleyball team, and a pair of Minnesota Lynxes helped U.S. women win gold in basketball.

Minnesota may be best known for its winter Olympians, but they made us all proud on the biggest athletic stage of all this year.