Editor’s note: Follow the latest U.S. Olympic gymnastics trials results.
MINNEAPOLIS − Frederick Richard let out a big smile as he left the floor Thursday night, pumping his fists.
Richard, the reigning world bronze medalist, had plenty to celebrate. His marvelous floor routine had just put him atop the all-around leaderboard after the first night of the U.S. Olympic gymnastics trials with a score of 85.600, narrowly ahead of three-time national champ Brody Malone.
“Wasn’t the best meet I’ve ever had, but I got through everything,” Malone, a Tokyo Olympian, said afterward. “A little rough, little shaky, some nerves out there. I think everyone was a little bit like that. I’m glad to have it under my belt and I’m looking forward to day two.”
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Both Richard and Malone were near-locks for the men’s team at the 2024 Paris Olympics next month, so it was no surprise to see the top of the leaderboard. It was far more interesting to see how the rest of the field came together behind them.
Khoi Young, another presumptive member of the Olympic team, had a disastrous night − falling twice on pommel horse, which is one of his best events, and failing to complete an element on high bar. It was such a shaky performance that he left himself with some work to do on the second day of trials, which is Saturday.
“I’ve never seen him do that. Honestly, like never in practice,” Thom Glielmi, Young’s coach at Stanford,…
