Frederick Richard and Paul Juda are used to training and competing alongside one another. The University of Michigan gymnastics teammates have taken on NCAAs, U.S. Championships, and World Artistic Gymnastics Championships together. After their performances at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 in Bercy Arena today, the duo will experience a first together – an Olympic all-around final.
In their Olympic debut, Richard and Juda finished with the two highest all-around scores for Team USA and 10th and 13th overall. Their performances helped the U.S. men’s team sit at fifth overall after all subdivisions were completed. The team, comprised of Richard, Juda, pommel horse specialist Stephen Nedoroscik, Stanford Unversity standout Asher Hong, and Tokyo Olympian Brody Malone, is seeking USA’s first team medal in men’s gymnastics since a bronze medal finish in 2008.
“We were both in the gym pushing each other grinding and it shows today,” said Richard. “It’s going to be really fun because we get to have another teammate competition at the all-around final, with my closest teammate next to me. I’m just excited.”
The expectations for 20-year-old Richard have been high following his bronze medal in the all-around at the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships and first-place finish at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Gymnastics. His personality and confidence have captivated fans and earned him a prominent social media following. That presence is certainly clear here in Paris, with the crowd in the arena erupting at the conclusion of his floor routine at the end of the session.
Juda will join Richard in that all-around final after rising to the occasion in qualifying. The Illinois native was the definition of consistency while competing in the lead-off spot for Team USA in five of the six events.
An NCAA standout the past several years, Juda made an international statement at last year’s world championships. He contributed to the bronze medal-winning effort in the team competition and advanced to vault and high bar finals. While in Antwerp, Belgium, his success ignited the belief that he could make the team, along with his college teammate Richard.
Source link : https://www.teamusa.com/news/2024/july/27/university-of-michigan-duo-lead-the-way-for-the-us-after-mens-qualification
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Publish date : 2024-07-27 17:50:32
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