Brody Malone at US Olympics Trials Is Much More Than Overcoming Horrific Injury, Says Gymnast’s Father: ‘Your Mom and I Are So Proud’

Brody Malone isn’t just another name on the roster at the U.S. Olympic Trials. For Brody, gymnastics has been more than just a sport, it has been his lifeline. The Tennessee native was born into a family who had their interest devoted to a sport which allowed Brody’s life to be full of adventure and movement. 

From an early age, little Malone was either soaring over hurdles on horseback or mastering the rings in the gymnastics arena. But these weren’t just activities for him. Through these sports, Brody got the opportunity to channel his boundless energy working through his deepest emotions. But in 2012, Brody’s world turned upside down. 

The young boy lost his biggest supporter, his pillar of strength to cancer. His mom, Tracy Malone, breathed her last in 2012 when he was 12. It was his mom, who shared his Olympic dreams and the pain of losing Tracy was paralyzing for the young boy. But Brody chose not to let his emotions out, rather chose to let his feelings fuel his drive. He buried himself in competition. And every routine he performed, every twist and turn on the rings, became a tribute to his mother.

With a void in his heart, he began competing in events starting from the 2015 National Championships. After finishing in the seventh position in 2015, the very next year he grabbed a silver and bronze and emerged as second. And then although there have been endless barriers, Malone saw no stop to his rise to the zenith. Representing the Stanford Cardinals, Malone grabbed 10 gold in the NCAA Championship throughout his career at Stanford. But while he was in college, he faced another sudden blow to life. In 2019, Malone’s stepmother to a brain aneurysm. And these mental setbacks weren’t all, as he had to fight against the major demon that stood between him and his dreams.

Brody Malone defies all odds eyeing Olympic glory after a near career-ending injury

After bagging 10 NCAA and 2 Pan American and one World Championships medal, helped his country to grab the podium position in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. But the 2024 Paris Olympics has been the dream for which he has been preparing for months. But in March 2023, losing a grip on the high bar at an event in Germany, he fell on the mat unanticipatedly, almost shattering his dreams for Olympic glory.

After the diagnosis, the world knew that it was over for the 24-year-old phenom. Sustaining a dislocated knee, several torn ligaments, and a fractured tibia, he had to undergo surgery in Germany itself and the treatment continued after his return to the U.S. While the world was busy sympathizing over his situation, Malone was just counting days to get back to the mat and the bars even stronger.

In 2024 February in the Winter Cup but could not perform in all the disciplines. But in May, in the 2024 US National Championship, he snatched the gold making an all-around return. And now as Brody Malone steps into the spotlight, it’s not just about the medals or the accolades. Rather it’s about the journey, the love, and the unyielding spirit of a young man who refuses to be defeated. Brody has graced the stage of the US Olympics Trials and is waiting to grab his ticket to Paris.