The youngest member of the U.S. Olympic men’s team, Frederick Richard, who is the shining star of Team USA, faced a bump in the road on July 23rd. During today’s podium training, the 20-year-old gymnast noted soreness in his right Achilles. Despite this setback, Richard, making his Olympic debut, is determined to keep his eye on the prize.

According to Inside Gymnastics on X, Richard acknowledged the discomfort but is not letting it get him down. When asked about any tweaks needed between podium training and the upcoming qualifications, he confidently stated, “The work is done…. we’re already ready to go. His energy is unmistakable. As a standout for the University of Michigan Wolverines, he clinched first place in the all-around at the U.S. Olympic team trials. Simone Biles, you have a contender to watch out for.

Fredrick Richard made history as the youngest man to compete in the Olympics since 1972. Back in June, he was the star of the Trials, shining brightly with top scores on both nights. Richard’s standout performances included a dazzling floor routine and leading the high bar scores with an all-around total of 85.60. On the first day of the men’s trials, he hit it out of the park, finishing in the top three for floor exercise, parallel bars, and high bar. He clinched first place on the high bar and second on parallel bars, demonstrating he’s firing on all cylinders.

On the final day, Richard’s scores were nothing short of spectacular: 14.000 on the floor, 13.600 on the pommel horse, 13.850 on rings, 14.200 on the vault, 14.800 on parallel bars, and 14.450 on the high bar. His ambition is crystal clear: “I want to enter the Olympics with the whole country knowing, like, that’s Frederick Richard like this man is going to do it, he declared earlier in June. With his stellar performance, Fred Richard has truly shown that “He is Fredrick Richard,” a name that speaks volumes. But that’s not all! Richard’s resume is all-encompassive, and he’s not just talking the talk- he’s walking the walk.

Can Frederick Richard’s star power elevate Team USA on the global stage?

With a world championship medal under his belt, he’s also a national all-around bronze medalist and a national champion on the high bar. In April, he snagged silver in the all-around competition at the NCAA championships and played a key role in helping Michigan secure silver in the team event. Richard was among the elite six finalists for the James E. Sullivan Award, recognizing the top U.S. athlete at either the collegiate or Olympic level, though Caitlin Clark took home the prize for the second consecutive year.

He’s landed sponsorship deals with major brands like Crocs, Celsius energy drink, Marriott, and Peloton, and he’s launched his own apparel line, “Frederickflips,” featuring a logo of him executing a backflip. To broaden his reach beyond the Olympic spotlight, he’s amassed a combined 900,000 followers on TikTok and Instagram, showcasing his savvy in leveraging social media. What do you think he can accomplish with such talent to make the USA proud on the global stage?