“Massachusetts Stand Up!!”: Fred Richard’s Parents’ Reaction to High Bar Routine at US Olympic Trials Has Gymnastics Community Fired Up

Fred Richard ended day 1 at the U.S. Gymnastics Trials at the Target Center. With a total of 85.600, Richard comfortably found himself on the top of the table by the end of 4 rotations. He continued to keep that lead halfway through day 2 and made a splash with his stellar routine on the high bar. While the entire stadium went wild, no one cheered louder than his father, Carl Richard.

Richards needs to finish in the top eight to punch his ticket to Paris. All he has to do is keep his routines crisp and that #1 position on the leaderboard. Fans were excited to watch the 20-year-old nail his routine, but they couldn’t help but aww when the cameras turned to his father’s loud cheers in the stands.

Fred Richard’s dad, Carl, is HYPED for his son

The young prodigy has his eyes set on Paris, and the only thing standing between him and his dreams is the final day of the U.S. Gymnastics Trials. Fred Richard’s high releases had the crowd go wild, but his solid dismount had everyone scream for the young athlete. But as soon as Richard’s landed on his feet, his father stood up screaming in joy. NBC Sports shared a snippet of this endearing reaction, captioned “We could ALL use support like Frederick Richard’s parents. 👏 #USAGTrials24” His incredible performance secured him 14.45, the highest score of the event so far.

It’s no surprise that Carl and Anne-Marie are in the stands cheering on for their son. They have always made it a point to always be at every competition Richard partakes in. While the stakes are higher than ever at the trials, watching their son put his best foot forward must have been such a proud parent moment for them!

This strong start to day 2 continued to put a distance between him the elite gymnasts he is competing against. Richard has previously talked about bringing back the Olympic gold isn’t the only thing on his mind. The young prodigy is looking to make a statement, and what a statement to make so early on in day! Team USA will be breathing a sigh of relief since High Bar has never been their strongest suit. But if Richard secures a spot in the Final Five, he could possibly turn things around for them.

The 2024 World Championship all-around bronze medalist had wowed the audience on day 1 with his performance on the high bars. Scoring 14.400, he had scored the highest then as well. Despite a slow start, he slowly made his way to the top of the leaderboard with a total of 85.600 after 4 rotations.

Fans react to the heartwarming reaction

The gymnastics community isn’t privy to seeing Richard’s entire family show up everywhere he goes. But they weren’t prepared to see how his biggest cheerleaders react when he nails his performances. Fans made their way over to Twitter to join in on the Richard family celebration. One fan expressed, “He hit that 🔥🔥🔥 #USAGTrials24 #GoBlue” His performances on day 1 are a testament to what the young wunderkind is capable of, but day 2 raised that bar up higher than it ever was.

Another fan confessed, “My wife just asked why I was yelling. This is why.” They couldn’t help BUT be fired up watching Richard’s performance on the high bars. Another fan stated, “SUPPORT IS KEY” Carl has previously mentioned how they want to make sure Fred knows his family has his back. Watching them cheer him on at the trials has tugged on every fan’s heartstrings.

One fan couldn’t help but let their intrusive thoughts out, “Could not be an Olympic parent, the stress alone would end me. But when it works out, I totally get giddy!” While vying for a spot on the national team can be incredibly stressful, the pressure of watching your child fight for a spot could be just as bad. Another fan simply stated, “Massachusetts stand up!!” You can’t help but cheer for the young prodigy’s enthralling performance.

As day 2 continues to unfold at the Target Center, it wouldn’t be surprising to hear Fred Richard’s parents cheer the loudest. If he continues to ensure his strong position on the leaderboard, we might just watch Richard punch his ticket to the French capital. Will the young gymnast make his Summer Games debut this year? We will find out soon, stay tuned!