Frederick Richard has waited for this moment his entire life. He can officially call himself an Olympian.
Richard walked into the Target Center for his final day of competition at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Team Trials with a five-tenth lead and didn’t let up.
The 20-year-old from Stoughton, Massachusetts now leaves Minneapolis with an all-around win (170.500) and a ticket to Paris – his first Olympic Games. The goal for Richard, and the United States team, is to bring home an Olympic team medal for the first time since 2008.
"You can expect from me and the team (to bring home) some medals (in) Paris," Richard said just moments after clinching his spot. "Our team is coming home with medals."
Richard will be joined by three-time national champion Brody Malone, who was uncertain if Paris was even a possibility just over a year ago after a devastating knee injury. Almost 15 months later, Malone finished second all-around to make his second Olympic team (170.300).
Paul Juda and Asher Hong, 2022 world team bronze medalists, were named to an Olympic team for the first time in their careers.
With tears welling up in his eyes, Juda took a moment to feel the crowd's embrace before offering up his first words as a newly-minted Olympian.
"I had only one goal and it was to hit all of my routines and leave here healthy," Juda said. "So now I get to do that and more! Go Team USA!"
Hong completed quite the comeback, overcoming a rough competition at the U.S. Championships where he finished 10th all-around to make the team.
Stephen Nedoroscik, 2021 pommel horse world champion, who fell short of making the Tokyo Olympic team three years ago, will also be headed to the Games for the first time in his career.
Three-time world medalist Khoi Young and Tokyo Olympian Shane Wiskus were named as the traveling alternates.
See below for rotation-by-rotation results and highlights.
Rotation 7
Asher Hong starts the final day of competition with a bang! Performing one of the most difficult vaults in the world - a Ri Se-Gwang - with just a hop back. That is without a doubt one of the best vaults he has done in competition, good for a 15.250. That score is nearly a full point higher than his vault from the first day of competition.
After having a rough competition at the U.S. Championships a few weeks ago, Hong needs to have one of the best meets of his career if he wants to make it to Paris. So far, he's off to a great start.
Brody Malone peeled of the high bar on his Liukin. He also went the wrong way on his Tak full but disguised the error well and continued through his routine. He finished with a stuck double twisting double layout (13.150). Not an ideal start to his competition, but shouldn't impact his Olympic team prospects too much.
Khoi Young, however, has something to prove and will be looking for redemption on day two. He's off to a good start on vault with a clean Randi, just a small hop back (15.100).
The leader after night one, Frederick Richard, is off to a great start. He puts up a 14.800 on parallel bars.
TOP 10 - ROTATION 7
- Frederick Richard | 100.400
- Asher Hong | 98.950
- Brody Malone | 98.250
- Shane Wiskus | 98.200
- Paul Juda | 98.000
- Yul Moldauer | 97.800
- Cameron Bock | 97.650
- Fuzzy Benas | 96.800
- Donnell Whittenburg | 95.850
- Colt Walker | 94.800
Rotation 8
Malone got his momentum going in the right direction on the floor exercise. He stuck four out of six tumbling passes and got rewarded with a 14.350.
Hong goes big on parallel bars with a well-executed routine, capped off with a stuck landing (14.900).
Excellent floor routine from Shane Wiskus, who lets out a roar after sticking four of his tumbling passes. Just two small hops on the final two passes (14.600).
Yul Moldauer pulls out the triple twisting double on high bar! However, a few short handstands result in a 13.000.
Big routine for Richard on high bar. He adds in a new release move that he hasn't performed yet in an elite competition - a Liukin - and he nailed it. 14.450 is the score.
Coming into the second day of competition, Paul Juda and Shane Wiskus were neck and neck, which makes every routine performed a critical one. Juda does a nice high bar routine, but a missed connection will result in a lower start score than anticipated. He gets a 13.800.
TOP 10 - ROTATION 8
- Frederick Richard | 114.850
- Asher Hong | 113.850
- Shane Wiskus | 112.800
- Brody Malone | 112.600
- Paul Juda | 111.800
- Cameron Bock | 111.400
- Fuzzy Benas | 110.900
- Yul Moldauer | 110.800
- Donnell Whittenburg | 110.050
- Colt Walker |109.600
Rotation 9
Rotation 9 got underway with Juda on the floor exercise - an event where he can certainly add value to the U.S. team. Very clean throughout (14.250).
Up next is a critical routine for Stephen Nedoroscik. On the first day of competition he did not do his full difficulty (just a 5.6 D-score). Now he goes for more difficulty (5.9 D-score), but still not fully what he's capable of.
In 2021, Nedoroscik was denied a spot on the Tokyo Olympic team despite winning a national title on the event. He went on to win a world title and three more national titles. Now, on his final pommel horse routine in the Paris selection process, he does a great routine for a 14.850.
On pommel horse, Malone bends his knees on one of his circle elements, but otherwise hits the routine (13.950).
Young hits his high bar routine but takes a large hop back on the dismount. He keeps it to his feet for a 13.250.
Richard has a few hops on his floor routine (14.000). Not his best, but not detrimental either.
TOP 10 - ROTATION 9
- Frederick Richard | 128.750
- Asher Hong | 127.050
- Brody Malone | 126.550
- Shane Wiskus | 126.500
- Paul Juda | 126.050
- Cameron Bock | 125.050
- Fuzzy Benas | 124.600
- Yul Moldauer | 124.500
- Donnell Whittenburg | 123.200
- Khoi Young | 122.500
Rotation 10
Juda comes through with a huge pommel horse routine (14.250). This is an event where the U.S. team could use his scores and he proved his capabilities once again.
Richard follows up Juda with a 13.600 on pommel horse.
Malone with a clean routine on still rings, but a large step back on the dismount. He gets a 14.300, which is slightly better than the number he put up day one.
Young struggled with landings on floor night one but was much improved. Fights to hold the stick on the 2.5 twist at the end of his routine (14.450).
Over on pommel horse, Moldauer had some errors in his routine, including the dismount, where he doesn't quite get the amplitude he needs (12.900).
Hong is making quite the statement. He showcases a lot of difficulty in his floor routine and puts up a good number (14.150).
After struggling on rings day one, Wiskus nails his routine for a 14.150.
TOP 10 - ROTATION 10
- Frederick Richard | 142.450
- Asher Hong | 141.200
- Brody Malone | 140.850
- Shane Wiskus | 140.650
- Paul Juda | 140.300
- Cameron Bock | 138.950
- Fuzzy Benas | 138.250
- Donnell Whittenburg | 138.050
- Yul Moldauer | 137.400
- Khoi Young | 136.950
Rotation 11
Malone produces a carbon copy vault from the first day of competition, sticking his Kas 1.5 once again. He scores a 14.700 - a tenth higher than Day 1.
Wiskus also nails a Kas 1.5 on vault (14.500).
Patrick Hoopes posts a huge 15.000 on pommel horse. Although he outscores Nedoroscik at Trials, Nedoroscik has the edge with his performances from nationals at play.
Pommel horse presents a huge opportunity for Young to capitalize. Typically it's a strong event for him, but he has struggled through the selection process. No problems - 14.250!
Hong falls on pommel horse, posting just a 11.750. While this isn't an event he will be expected to contribute to Team USA, it will certainly hurt his all-around ranking. One more event to go.
TOP 10 - ROTATION 11
- Frederick Richard | 156.300
- Brody Malone | 155.550
- Shane Wiskus | 155.150
- Paul Juda | 154.150
- Asher Hong | 152.950
- Cameron Bock | 152.650
- Fuzzy Benas | 152.150
- Khoi Young | 151.200
- Yul Moldauer | 151.200
- Donnell Whittenburg | 151.100
Rotation 12
Hong does exactly what he needs to do on the still rings. He caps off his routine with a stuck dismount - 14.700. What a comeback!
Malone ends his Trials with a clean routine on parallel bars (14.750).
Richard rocks his vault for a 14.200. Without a doubt, he's going to Paris.
Juda fights to hold his vault landing, nearly sticks it for a 14.500.
TOP 10 - FINAL SCORES
- Frederick Richard | 170.500*
- Brody Malone | 170.300
- Shane Wiskus |169.650
- Paul Juda | 168.850
- Asher Hong | 167.650
- Fuzzy Benas | 166.000
- Donnell Whittenburg | 165.700
- Cameron Bock | 165.600
- Yul Moldauer | 165.300
- Jeremy Bischoff | 160.450
*Mathematically clinched Olympic spot.