Frederick Richard, Brody Malone, Paul Juda, Asher Hong, and Stephen Nedoroscik etched their names into U.S. gymnastics history on Monday. The U.S. men’s team clinched their first Olympic team medal in gymnastics since 2008, earning a thrilling bronze by narrowly edging out Great Britain. Japan and China secured gold and silver, respectively.
The atmosphere was electric as the U.S. team celebrated each other’s performances with enthusiasm rivaling the rowdiest of college gymnastics meets. Emotions ran high when the bronze was confirmed, with many team members breaking down in tears. While podium finishes are common for American women, this marks only the third team medal for the U.S. men in the last 20 years.
The bronze medal was within their grasp after stellar performances in the first five rotations. However, they still had to tackle the challenging pommel horse, a notoriously difficult event comparable to the balance beam for women. Stephen Nedoroscik, whose place on the Olympic team was secured by his prowess on the pommel horse, faced a nerve-wracking 2½-hour wait before his routine. His outstanding performance in the final rotation clinched the bronze for the team.
The U.S. team built early momentum with impressive routines on the still rings and vault, significantly improving their scores from the qualifying round where they finished fifth. Paul Juda described his flawless vault as a surreal experience, saying, “I was completely blacked out while I was running down the runway. I hit the table, and I just said, ‘All right, just hold it, just don’t fall. Just please don’t fall.’ Next thing I know, the ground’s at my feet, and I stuck it at the Olympic Games.”
After two of the six events, the U.S. team was at the top of the leaderboard. Chants of “USA” filled Paris’ Bercy Arena as Asher Hong delivered a stellar performance on parallel bars, earning a 14.400 and propelling the U.S. into second place heading into the high bar.
Frederick Richard was a standout throughout the final, executing a monstrously difficult routine on the high bar and sticking his dismount. His score would have won a silver medal at last year’s world championships. Richard said, “I knew I had the whole U.S. behind me. I knew I had these five guys cheering me on, and I knew I wanted to do the best routine possible for them. When you feel that deep in your heart, it happens, and you stick that landing.”
As the U.S. anchor on floor, Richard delivered a clutch routine to wrap up the penultimate rotation. One of his floor skills is inspired by breakdancing, a sport making its Olympic debut in Paris.
Looking ahead, Richard and Juda will compete in the all-around final on Wednesday, while Nedoroscik aims for gold in the pommel horse final on Saturday.
“We’re out here representing the best country in the world,” said Malone, the U.S. national all-around champion. “It’s just an incredible feeling any time you get to wear USA on your chest, but especially at the Olympic Games.”
