A total of 96 gymnasts competed in six men’s gymnastics events on the first day of the Paris Olympics, and there were surprises for the USA, who competed in the first of three subdivisions of the qualifying round.
Qualifying results determine the lineup for the remainder of the competition, as the top eight teams, determined by the sum of each team’s three highest scores, move on to the team final, and the top 24 scorers compete overall, with a maximum of two gymnasts from each country. The eight athletes with the highest scores in each event in the qualifying phase also compete in the finals of the individual event.
For the US, there was an unexpected change in the leadership cadre. Frederick Richard, a world bronze medalist, had the highest scores on the US team, followed by Paul Juda, his training partner at the University of Michigan. Brody Malone, the team’s only returning Olympian, who was expected to be a contender in the all-around event, had the lowest scores in three of the six events. Only gymnasts with the top 24 scores in the entire qualifying round, after completing all three subdivisions, can compete in the all-around final. After just one of the three subdivisions, it’s likely to be Richard and Juda for the US.
“It was a great day,” Juda said. “We hope to reach an overall final, that’s the coolest thing.”
“It means a lot,” Richard said of the possibility of being in the all-around final with Juda. “Having my closest teammate by my side is just exciting.”
Juda’s mother, Ewa Bacher, didn’t even know about the great chances her son had of competing in the Olympic all-around final. “Really?” she said shortly after the American men finished. “I don’t know much about gymnastics; We don’t talk much about gymnastics. I’m so happy for this kid. He has achieved a lot, but he is still my son, just my son.”
The Americans started in one of their weakest events, the pommel horse, and it was a difficult start for the team’s only returning Olympian, Brody Malone, who got off his horse and had to restart his routine. Malone is the US national champion and was expected to reach the all-around final in Paris. Malone quickly made up for the mistake in the next event, the rings, with the second highest score among Americans, behind teammate Asher Hong. But he continued to struggle throughout the session, twice coming off the high bars, the event in which he won the world championship in 2022, and stumbling in the floor routine. The two-time national champion suffered a devastating knee injury during a competition in March 2023 and only recovered enough to begin training for a spot on the Olympic team.
The team also did not have strong landings on vault, with three of the four members competing in that event earning deductions for going out of bounds; only Juda successfully remained within the boundaries.
The British team, which is probably the USA’s closest competition in the medal team event, finished qualifying just ahead of the USA by more than two points, with the other medal favorites, China and Japan, competing in the qualifying round. qualification later in the day.
This story originally appeared on Time.com read the full story
