First although, he’s on the street with the Athleta Presents Gold Over America Tour alongside an all-star forged together with his Olympic teammates Brody Malone and Paul Juda. We spoke with Richard on day one in every of GOAT rehearsals to atone for Paris, his impression on the game to date, and what he’s trying ahead to most on tour.
Let’s begin with this mini-reunion! How was it getting again along with everybody after Paris to start out rehearsals for Gold Over America?
It was a enjoyable little reunion after all of us received our little disconnect and breaks in several areas. So, it’s enjoyable to come back again and see how all people’s doing and what they’ve been doing. We received proper into it on day one in every of rehearsals – my physique was sore by the tip of it – nevertheless it’s enjoyable! This can be a entire totally different thoughts problem, as a result of in gymnastics, we’re at all times making an attempt to study new expertise and put it collectively. However now, we’re studying new expertise, however small expertise and 100 of them in sequence! I feel it’s very enjoyable and it’s a very good, wholesome option to keep lively and get again in form earlier than the season begins whereas having enjoyable with the entire crew.
It was such a particular reminiscence for all of us there watching and overlaying Paris. So for you, having this time to replicate now on what you completed, how has it set in? And what impression is lastly having that staff Olympic medal going to make?
Once we had been going into the Olympics, for years, we at all times mentioned, ‘you recognize, we wish to convey extra eyes to the game. We wish to present our program is constructing and it may be huge and profitable, too.’ After getting the medal, I really feel like we hit that first checkpoint. Individuals cherished our story. I feel every time somebody was watching the complete meet begin to end, they by no means forgot about us, as a result of they noticed the teamwork, the sportsmanship and the power we confirmed. They had been so supportive of it, and so they cherished watching that. So, I really feel like we received lots of people loving our tales within the sport.
On this tour, I really feel like all of us have that unconscious feeling to capitalize and maintain pushing us ahead, as a result of we nonetheless have an extended option to go. Nevertheless it’s thrilling as a result of we’re in it lastly. We’re not standing outdoors saying we want one thing would occur to start out it. It has began, and now we have now to maintain the ball rolling.
I took a minute yesterday to return and watch the Group Remaining. Once you all had been going by means of the competitors, did you sense that the medal was going to occur for you guys, or had been you simply laser-focused on the following routine, the following ability?
That’s the loopy factor. In fact, we’re centered on the following ability, the following factor, the following routine, however I may really feel it… like, you may type of simply really feel when the whole lot is understanding proper, and the whole lot goes to work out proper, you recognize? You continue to have nerves, however you may simply really feel the following routine goes to be nice, and the one after that’s going to be nice. It’s all going to come back collectively. It nearly felt greater than us, just like the universe was simply pushing us that course. And all we needed to do is simply belief it as a result of our our bodies knew the right way to do it and it’s type of like all of us had been intertwined within the universe. It was serving to us undergo easily, benefit from the second, as a result of it’s going to all work out.
What does it really feel like now to have the following technology, all the youthful children you and saying, ‘I wish to be the following Frederick Richard’?
It’s nonetheless unreal, truthfully. I’m simply somebody, after all, I’m a traditional individual, additionally, I used to be simply obsessive about the game, and now someway I’ve reached the highest and I’ve the facility to truly assist these children and affect them and encourage them. In order that half, I’m grateful for. Once I resolve I wish to do one thing, once I really do it, it has an impression. And that’s superb. And it’s humorous, once I was rising up, I’d see the photographs of the final Olympians that received medals, which was 16 years in the past, and I’m like, ‘dang, I can’t think about what it’s prefer to be on a staff like that.’ And now, there’s gonna be that very same image with us 5 at gyms.
What was it like seeing your loved ones after getting the staff medal, after which additionally the reception coming residence?
Seeing your loved ones is nice, and it’s enjoyable, as a result of they’ve seen the entire journey all the way in which from, clearly, beginning, to the whole lot behind the scenes. They actually received the win, too. They’ve sacrificed quite a bit, and it’s enjoyable to come back again to them with the success and see the satisfaction of their eyes and the tears and all of that. Coming again residence is sort of a little enjoyable social gathering. It’s just like the folks that you simply haven’t seen or talked to in 5 years come out to see you. Like my first grade trainer, second grade trainer, third grade trainer – all of the those that had been part of your life – and truthfully who did say, ‘you’re gonna be an Olympian at some point.’ All of them got here again. In order that’s very humorous to see them and suppose, ‘I do know the final time you noticed me in individual was once I was 8-years-old, and now you’re an Olympian.’
