Frederick Richard captured his first US men's gymnastics all-around title on Saturday night, delivering a performance that underscores his ambitions for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The 22-year-old, a key member of the bronze-medal-winning US team at the Paris Games, posted a two-day total of 170.015, finishing two points ahead of runner-up Shane Wiskus and three points clear of promising newcomer Danila Leykin.
A Comeback Season Culminates in Victory
Richard's triumph marks a significant rebound after a disappointing 2025, during which he was omitted from both the national and world championship teams. The experience proved sobering for a gymnast determined to become the face of a men's program aiming to make an impact in Los Angeles. He responded by intensifying his training, and his efforts paid off during two days of competition in the desert, where he fended off challenges from Leykin and Wiskus, a 2020 Olympian returning after a break following his role as an alternate in 2024.
Richard's charismatic and socially savvy approach has been central to his mission of expanding gymnastics' audience. He has broken with tradition by competing in shorts and compression leggings instead of the standard stirrup pants on several events, all under a singlet featuring his 'Frederick Flips' logo. This fashion statement costs him three-tenths of a point per competition, a penalty he has unequivocally accepted to increase visibility for a sport often overshadowed by the women's program.
Determination and Risk-Taking
After Thursday's opening round, where he led Leykin by just two-tenths of a point, Richard doubled down on his stance, stating he would sacrifice a national title if necessary. 'I'm not here to say everybody should wear this uniform,' Richard said after night one. 'I'm just here to say it's not hurting gymnastics.' Fortunately for Richard, he did not have to make that choice. His confident performance across six rotations on Saturday marked a further step in his comeback year.
Leykin began the finals with a flourish, scoring 14.963 on a stylish high bar set that briefly pressured Richard. However, his bid for the all-around podium ended on floor exercise, where he shuffled at the end of his first tumbling pass and sat down after his second, scoring 11.650 and giving Richard ample breathing room.
Commanding Performance
Richard did not need the cushion. His thrilling high bar set, featuring three technically intricate releases, earned a 15.005 score, the second-best on the apparatus behind Cooper Kim. He tumbled confidently on a floor that troubled others, and after surviving pommel horse without mishaps—a notable achievement—he celebrated by rallying the crowd. His total of 14.633 allowed him to treat the final two rotations as a victory lap. When he cleanly hit his vault in the last rotation, he turned to the crowd and flashed the 'No. 1' sign after saluting the judges, securing the first of what he hopes will be multiple national titles.
Richard is now virtually assured of a spot on the team heading to the Netherlands in October for the world championships, with Leykin likely close to a lock. Meanwhile, Stephen Nedoroscik, the pommel horse specialist whose Paris performance helped the Americans clinch their first team Olympic medal in 16 years, will likely watch from home. Competing with his trademark goggles and still recovering from multiple injuries, Nedoroscik came off the horse midway through his routine on Saturday, finishing with a two-day total of 28.366, well behind gold medalist Patrick Hoopes, who has, for now, supplanted Nedoroscik as the top American on that demanding apparatus.
