Paris Olympics: US Olympian Brody Malone Gets Back on the Floor After Brutal Injuries Over a Year Ago

Amid the stage being set for the 2024 Paris Olympics, July-August will also host a couple of athletes making their comebacks. Brody Malone, one of the most decorated gymnasts of the US team, has an impressive resume to boast. But his 2023 season was not a pleasant one, a year plagued by injuries and surgeries. In the 2023 DTB Pokal Team Challenge, the 24-year-old injured his knee, which leads to an external fixator installation. But that was not it.

As days went by, complications kept surfacing. His second surgery focused on repairing cartilage damage, a meniscus tear, and a tibial plateau fracture. But the tough days didn’t end there. A third surgery followed, which aimed to mend the lateral collateral ligament. This resulted in the US Nationals and the Worlds withdrawal, leaving fans worried. But not a worry anymore.

Brody Malone plans his comeback

Resorting to his Instagram handle, the 2022 US National all-around champion announced the most anticipated. His caption reads, “First time tumbling on the real floor in over a year!!! I’ve been making a lot of good progress in these last couple of weeks!”. It was clear from the video that Malone was in shape and will soon take the spotlight in the upcoming events. His statement further unveiled his primary goal, the US Championships.

Tagging Neufit and Apex Physical Therapy, he acknowledged the two pillars responsible for his healing. Having already made a mark at the 2024 Winter Cup, the 2020 Tokyo Olympian looked past his grueling injuries to contribute scores. Let’s take a look at what earned Brody Malone a position at the US Gymnastics Championships.

Malone’s big 2024 comeback

After battling grueling injuries, the Tennessee native made a comeback only to count gold. But his legs didn’t cooperate, thus giving him one-third place and a fourth-place finish. 14.850 on parallel bars placed him third in that category and 13.950 earned him the fourth position. Nevertheless, his scores combined confirmed his place on the US Nationals roster.

Also Read: Overcoming Multiple Setbacks, Brody Malone Reveals the ‘Worst Part’ of Rehab

While on his journey, he expressed himself to the Olympics.com. “I don’t even know how many months since my last surgery, but I had to relearn to walk…and here I am, running and jumping around, tumbling on tumble track and rod floor. So I’m super happy with my progress so far.” This month, he awaits the horizontal bars clearance while also aiming to attempt his best at the Olympic trials.

READ MORE: Brody Malone Reveals Olympics’ True Highlight Ahead of Paris 2024