“Adopted From Korea”: Yul Moldauer Pens Heartfelt Note Ahead of US Olympic Gymnastics Trials

Olympic gymnast Yul Moldauer found his start as a child in a local gym, channeling his boundless energy. By age nine, he was on the Junior National Team. A year later, he joined 5280 Gymnastics, where he met the Artemev family, who were pivotal in his career. Adopted from Seoul, South Korea, into a Colorado family, Moldauer became the son of Peter and Orsa Moldauer.

Now, on the verge of joining another Olympic team via the Minneapolis trials, Yul takes a moment to express gratitude to all who supported him. As anticipation builds for the US Olympic Gymnastics Trials, Moldauer has shared a heartfelt note on his social media handle. It offers insight into his resilience and determination on the path to Olympic glory once more.

Yul Moldauer reflects on his journey before the US Olympic Gymnastics Trials

American gymnast Yul Moldauer recently took to Instagram to share an emotional message ahead of the Olympics trials, expressing gratitude and determination. In his heartfelt post, Moldauer wrote, “It all starts tomorrow. It’s hard to find the right words, but I just want to thank you to all of my family—The Moldauers, 5280, OU, all my coaches, fans, teammates, friends, sponsors, Colorado, and many more.” Reflecting on his journey from being adopted from Korea to representing his adopted country, Moldauer added, “To come this far in my sport, it’s a dream come true. The dream doesn’t end here, let’s go get after it. #OlympicTrials2024”. 

His words encapsulate both gratitude for his support network and determination to achieve further success on his Olympic path. He will compete in the US Olympic team trials for men’s gymnastics in Minneapolis, Minnesota, starting June 27. Yul was adopted into a Colorado farm family when he was one year old. He also has three siblings named Leah, Sorcha, and Sundo. At the age of 7, he joined a local gym near Littleton because they were offering free tryouts in gymnastics. With his family’s support, he won gold at the Junior Olympic National Championships at age 18.

In just another two years, he won the NCAA title. This year, following his adoptive father’s mantra to “dig deep when his body’s exhausted and carry on when he wants to give up,” Moldauer will go up against some fierce competition in the trials. He will compete against Paul Juda, the 2023 US floor exercise champion, and Frederick Richard, a member of the team that won bronze at the 2023 World Championships. Yul will also face Khoi Young and Colt Walker, the 2023 Pan Am Pommel Horse champion and members of the gold-winning team at the 2022 Pan American Championships.

They’re all going to be vying for the 5 spots available on the Olympic team. With national team experience since 2015 and prior Olympics qualification in Tokyo, Moldauer understands what’s needed to secure his spot. Beyond his sport, Moldauer advocates for men’s gymnastics in the USA and speaks out against anti-Asian racism.

Yul Moldauer’s success is backed by his experiences 

Many consider Yul Moldauer one of the best male gymnasts in the country right now. He earned the Nissen-Emery Award in 2019, a pinnacle of collegiate gymnastics. He boasts 18 NCAA championships and three American Cup titles, showcasing his wealth of experience heading into the Olympic trials. Additionally, in 2017, he won the bronze medal in floor exercise at the World Championships. Furthermore, as part of Oklahoma University’s Sooners, he became the second freshman to win the NCAA AA title.

Despite a minor injury at the Xfinity Games this year, Moldauer is eager to excel in the 2024 Olympic trials. He has expressed his intention to elevate his skill level in the sport by performing a double double layout on the high bar. He has also emphasized on abroad experiences, he talked about his meet in the Bundesliga saying, “It’s a good thing to get your face in front of different judges. When I was in the French Bundesliga I think I scored a 87 in the All-Around and I would never do that in the U.S.!” So it seems that Moldauer is truly ready to qualify for his second Olympics team and try to improve their fifth-place finish from last time.