This Olympian Is Changing Who Belongs in Gymnastics

By NBCU Academy

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For Olympic bronze medalist Frederick Richard, everything began in a small Massachusetts gym — the place where he took thousands of turns, learned discipline, and discovered the sport that would shape his life. “That was it,” he said. “I knew there was nothing else I wanted to do.” Growing up, he didn’t see many boys in the gym — and even fewer who looked like him. In the 2023-24 season, about 12,000 boys competed in gymnastics in the United States, compared with 138,000 girls. Richard isn’t waiting for representation to catch up; he’s helping create it. Now, at just 21, he’s using his platform to make gymnastics feel exciting, accessible, and cool for kids everywhere. Online, he’s built a space full of energy and personality, posting flips, challenges, and collaborations with top athletes. His videos have racked up millions of views. “Now I can show the world because they weren’t seeing this before,” he said. Check out our blog post here: https://nbcuacademy.com/the-olympian-show

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