“Being adopted… I’m so grateful for the family… You can have a normal life.” These heartfelt words from Yul Moldauer crystallize his inspiring journey. As he prepares for the Olympic team trials in Minnesota, his path from Colorado to the elite stage has been enduring and challenging. Adopted from South Korea at three months old, Yul was embraced by a loving family. His parents, Orsa and Peter, and his three siblings have been his foundation. Their support has been instrumental in his success and let us decode as to how.

The US men’s gymnasts proved themselves capable of ending the medal drought at the 2023 World Gymnastics Championships. Notably, Yul Moldauer contributed scores in parallel bars, pommel horse, and rings, anchoring his team to a bronze finish. What really sets Moldauer apart is not just his mat prowess but his resilience and dedication. As Moldauer aims to represent his country again, let’s look back at those who made it possible.

All about Yul Moldauer’s parents and siblings

Yul Moldauer was born Kyung Tae in South Korea to a chemically dependent mother who gave him up for adoption. Thousands of miles away in a farming family in Larimer County, Colorado, Orsa and Peter Moldauer saw a picture of him and decided that he would be the perfect addition to their family after 2 sisters. So the one-year-old was renamed Yul and traveled all the way to Colorado to join the family. 

Growing up at a farm near Fort Collins, Yul Moldauer suffered from a number of medical ailments due to his birth mother’s addiction and because he was born prematurely. In fact, his cries were so loud, they could be heard from a quarter of a mile away and his parents had to sign a form saying they understood he would most likely not be a productive adult. He also went to speech therapy till he was 3 and a half years old. However, his parents never made him feel any different or less. 

Yul Moldauer has two siblings: Leah, Sundo and Sorcha. His sister Sorcha suffered an injury that caused her to have a severed brachial plexus. Saudo, also adopted from South Korea, had mild cerebral palsy and needed extensive physical therapy to learn how to walk. Though his parents and his siblings have gone through extended periods of hardship, they’ve all whole-heartedly supported Yul on his journey to becoming one of the premier gymnasts in American history. 

The gymnastic star’s parents were committed to building his career

When he was 7 years old, Yul decided to give it a shot at the free gymnastics tryouts in a local gym. He was also backed by his mother Orsa, who had noticed her son’s legs remaining still and straight as he effortlessly crossed a set of monkey bars. Because of his skill and quick thinking, Yul Moldauer rose through the ranks and won the Regional Junior Olympic title as a level 7 gymnast. When his coach realized he needed better training, the family made the decision to move closer to an elite facility in Arvada.

Yul then began training for 2.5 hrs before school and 3 hours after. Orsa and Peter continued to encourage him to go to national and junior national team camps. He even visited regional clinics at the US Olympic Training Center. His parents were so involved that Yul “was consistently at those,” and “never missed one”. At the 5280 Gymnastics club in Arvada is where Yul Moldauer truly began to flourish. He won state, regional and national Junior Olympic titles at Levels 9 and 10. Eventually, he earned a scholarship to the University of Oklahoma, where he went on to win several NCAA titles. Paris, here he comes like the unstoppable force he is.