MINNEAPOLIS — Thom Glielmi was genuinely and thoroughly baffled. Which is saying something. He’s been a head coach for seven years, won six national titles at Stanford, coached in seven world championships. In other words, the man has seen a thing or two. He’s also coached Khoi Young for three years at Stanford, been with him on the international circuit and seen Young practice more times than he can count.
Yet watching Young on Thursday at the U.S. Olympic trials, a presumptive favorite to make the Olympic men’s gymnastics team, Glielmi was at a loss for words. Young, who became the first U.S. man since 1979 to win multiple apparatus medals at a world championships when he won silver on vault and pommel horse in 2023, twice slid off pommel horse, failed to complete an element on high bar, and took extra steps on two tumbling passes. He’s in 12th place following the first day of trials here. Five men make the team.
“I’ve never seen him do that. Honestly like never. Not even in practice,” Glielmi said afterward. “This was just an anomaly. We have to come back and do better on Saturday.”
This is the beauty of gymnastics compared to say, the heartache of Athing Mu. In the eternal words of Lloyd Christmas, “So you’re telling me there’s a chance.” There is always a chance.
The men’s gymnastics selection process is complicated. Mathematical gymnastics are, in fact, necessary to understand all of the nuances. An abacus might help, and perhaps even an extra set of toes for counting. But the short story is this: one bad day does not ruin anything for anyone. The numbers that will be crunched include both days here at trials, as well as the two days at U.S. Championships last month, where Young finished third.
The committee also has the discretion to build a team to maximize points — specialists such as Curran Phillips on parallel bars and Stephen Nedoroscik on pommel horse, for example, might earn consideration, and even the all-around winner isn’t guaranteed a spot. Unlike the women, where the top finishing all-arounder automatically qualifies, the men’s winner also has to finish in the top three in three events to punch a golden ticket.
Stanford’s Khoi Young struggled on the first day of competition Thursday, but a strong Saturday finish could still land him an Olympic spot. (Jamie Squire / Getty Images)
Fred Richard, TikTok sensation and gymnast extraordinaire, did that but not easily. The all-around bronze medalist at the worlds, he had to fight to complete his dismount on the pommel horse, but then regained form to take not only the all-around lead, but also first on floor and high bar, plus third on parallel bars.
The reality is the pressure to make the Olympics is, not shockingly, immense, whether it’s at a pool dropped in the middle of an Indianapolis NFL stadium, a track in Oregon, or here, at Target Center. Every stroke, step or flip carries with it the enormity of a lifetime’s pursuit and the razor’s edge between joy and devastation.
Brody Malone already has gone through this process once. He won the 2020 all-around title at trials and earned his way to Tokyo. He’s also on the other side of a gruesome leg injury that still necessitates a bulky brace for his floor routine. And he was nervous.
“For all of us, this is the biggest competition of our lives,” he said after standing second to Richard following Day 1. “All of the guys want to make it, so the nerves are there.”
A jam-PACKED routine for Brody Malone on the high bar. 💥
📺 @USANetwork & @peacock | #USAGTrials24 pic.twitter.com/nVm3qLFW4f
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) June 27, 2024
It’s been 16 years since the men’s team medaled at the Games, but a third-place finish at worlds has the U.S. dreaming big. The overarching theme to the men’s trials was a sort of delineation between old guard and new — Malone, Shane Wiskus and Yul Moldauer, all part of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic team, versus Young, Richard, and a crop of collegians on the rise.
The mix was apparent in the standings. Malone (second), Wiskus (third) and Moldauer (sixth) were sandwiched by Richard, the 20-year-old from the University of Michigan, and Asher Hong, the 20-year-old from Stanford, who is sixth. Paul Juda is the 22-year-old tweener and an interesting wild card. A member of that bronze medal-winning worlds team along with Richard and Young, he’s a solid all-arounder and is very good on the pommel horse, where the U.S. needs help.
Only five will make it to Paris. Saturday is the last chance to make their case.
GO DEEPER
Simone Biles dominates first day of U.S. Olympic gymnastics trials
(Top photo of Fred Richard during Thursday’s action at U.S. Olympic trials: Kerem Yucel / AFP / Getty Images)
