5 Things You Didn’t Know About Olympic Gymnast Frederick Richard

Last year, 20-year-old gymnast Frederick Richard etched his name in history by becoming the youngest individual medalist in the men’s world championship. He also scored two bronze medals in the all-around division, which propelled the U.S. men’s team back on the podium for the first time in nine years.

Richard will represent the United States in the 2024 Summer Olympic Games and is reportedly dead set on bringing home the gold. Here are 5 facts you may not have known about this future gymnastics legend.

Richard hails from Stoughton, Massachusetts. His mother says he started doing handstands in his crib at just 2 years old. His journey into gymnastics began when he was 4.

In 2020, he launched his TikTok account, FrederickFlips, where Richard gives his supporters an inside look at his life through competition clips, training routine videos and relatable memes. Since then, Richard has amassed over one million followers spanning several platforms.

Richard’s apparel line through the FredrickFlips moniker sports a backflip logo reminiscent of the Jordan brand. Clothing options include hats, hoodies, T-shirts and even training gear. His most recent venture into fashion was a Crocs collaboration just in time for the Olympic games.

Richard is a three-time NCAA gymnastics champion representing the University of Michigan Wolverines team. He might’ve taken some cues from Marvel’s Wolverine, as his favorite movies are the X-Men series.

Richard hopes to inspire more men to pursue gymnastics. “Ask anyone on the street,” he told Time Magazine. “They’ll never know a male gymnast. I want to be one to change that.”