“Brody Malone showed the world that he’s BACK!” were Brody Malone‘s coach Syque Caesar’s words after the gymnast qualified for the 2024 US Olympic trials. The Johnson City native won his third all-around title at the 2024 Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships. His victory was quite special, considering it came after he recovered from a gruesome knee injury.
Malone is vying for a spot in the Paris Olympics. If he qualifies, he could be America’s best hope for a gold medal for the first time since 1984. Achieving this historic feat would heavily rely on the crucial assistance of his coach, Syque Caesar. As he prepares for the upcoming trials in Minnesota, let’s delve deeper and explore the dynamic between Malone and his coach.
All about Brody Malone’s coach, Syque Caesar
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Born in Florida, USA, Syque Caesar has a unique journey—representing Bangladesh and now coaching in America! A graduate of the University of Michigan and former member of the Michigan Wolverines men’s gymnastics team, he was part of the winning team at the 2011 Big Ten Conference.
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In his brilliant 2011 season representing Bangladesh, Caesar competed in the South Central Asian Championships in Dhaka, winning a total of four medals. He secured gold in the parallel bars and silver in the vault events. Additionally, he earned bronze medals in the all-around and floor exercise events.
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After qualifying for the 2012 Olympics, Syque Caesar traveled with the Bangladesh team to London. Interestingly, he competed against his Michigan roommate, Sam Mikulak, who was part of Team USA. However, despite his participation, the Florida-born gymnast did not have a significant impact at the prestigious quadrennial event. He finished 29th in the floor exercise, 27th in the parallel bars, and 50th in the horizontal bars.
Caesar represented Bangladesh for several years, notably competing at the 2014 Commonwealth Games. In 2021, he became the head coach at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center for the men’s gymnastics athlete resident program. Recently, five gymnasts under his guidance have qualified for the US Olympic gymnastics trials.
Caesar proud of Malone for choosing to continue even after injury
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“Many people who aren’t Brody Malone probably would have retired from the sport,” Caesar said according to the Associated Press. The 24-year-old Johnson City native suffered a gruesome injury knee back in 2023. After recovering from that, he returned to competing in January 2024 at the Winter Cup. However, his coach emphasized, “For anyone else, it could have been career-ending for sure.”
Syque Caesar closely witnessed medical staff shaking their heads after Malone’s catastrophic injury. He stood by him throughout his recovery period and witnessed the young American defy the odds to secure a spot in the US Olympic Trials in Minnesota. Confident in his pupil’s ability to claim a medal at the Paris Games, let’s hear your thoughts in the comment section.