Many expected his career to be over. You have to hand it to the man… He’s a fighter.
Paris isn’t just the U.S. women’s gymnastics team’s redemption tour; it’s also gymnast Brody Malone’s chance at redemption. After a disappointing finish on the high bar at the Tokyo Olympics and a devastating knee injury last March that could have ended his gymnastics career, Malone is determined to bring home gold in his best event.
The U.S. men’s gymnastics team hasn’t won an Olympic medal since 2008, and this year’s squad is eager to end that 16-year drought. A minor mistake in Tokyo left Malone finishing fourth on the high bar, which he said, “leaves a really bad taste in your mouth.”
“I’m just so grateful for everything that God’s done for me.”
Gymnast Brody Malone is headed to Paris and giving all the glory to the Lord. https://t.co/a9N07qoau6
— Sports Spectrum (@Sports_Spectrum) July 2, 2024
Malone, 24, won bronze at the World Championships later that year and claimed gold at the same competition the following year. However, he feels there’s a difference between a world medal and an Olympic medal. “So that’s what I want,” he said.
In March 2023, a slip on the high bar at the DTB Cup in Germany threatened Malone’s Olympic dreams. He dislocated his knee during his dismount and later discovered he had torn multiple ligaments and fractured part of his tibia.
After three surgeries and over a year of intensive training and rehab, Malone has defied the odds and is making his Olympic return on all six apparatuses. “It was always in the plans to, you know, try to make a comeback,” Malone said. “It was just whether or not I was going to be able to do floor and vault,” the two most strenuous events on the knees.
Malone’s injury became a huge motivator for him to make it back to the Olympics. “You never really know how bad you want something until you have it taken away from you,” he said. “And that is exactly how this ended up working out.”
The journey wasn’t easy. Malone faced days when he didn’t want to train, frustrated with being on crutches and recovering from bed rest. “But it’s important to have the perspective that I don’t have to do this — I get to do this,” he said. This mindset helped him focus on small, achievable goals in the gym each day. “That’s what kept me going,” he said. “Setting little goals every single day that you know you can achieve and then achieving those goals keeps you going towards the end.”
As the Paris Olympics kick off on July 26, Malone said his knee is “doing really, really well.” He plans to stick to the routines he performed at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials and execute them as cleanly as possible.
Malone is the only member of the 2024 team who has been to the Olympics before, and he embraces the role of mentor. Despite not medaling in Tokyo, he performed well and understands the pressures of the Olympics. He aims to be a guiding figure for his teammates, much like three-time Olympian Sam Mikulak was for him.
Brody Malone is officially heading to the @Paris2024 @Olympics with @TeamUSA men’s gymnastics after overcoming a major hurdle on his road to the games.
In 2022, Malone suffered a multi-ligament knee injury during a dismount on the high bars, leaving him with a torn meniscus,… pic.twitter.com/BX2EUzUt8h
— Arthrex MedEd (@ArthrexMedEd) July 5, 2024
Malone expressed excitement about competing with Asher Hong, a Stanford teammate, and pommel horse star Stephen Nedoroscik, who he describes as “super goofy” and lighthearted. Nedoroscik’s attitude has helped Malone, a self-described “super focused guy,” to enjoy the competition more and even crack a few jokes himself.
However, Malone remains focused on competing against Daiki Hashimoto, the Japanese gymnast who won gold in the all-around in Tokyo and excels on the high bar. Malone admires and respects Hashimoto but is also motivated to beat him. He even had his coach post pictures of Hashimoto around the gym as a constant reminder to stay focused and work hard.
Looking beyond Paris, Malone is unsure of his future. He’s considering competing at the 2025 World Championships and possibly the Los Angeles Games in 2028. However, he also has a wedding to plan for next year, indicating that life outside gymnastics is also important to him.
After a devastating knee injury, gymnast Brody Malone is back and ready to medal in Paris https://t.co/jd1Ks8mPjF
— Catty PawlaTicks 😺 (@PersianKittenz) July 15, 2024
For now, Malone is fully focused on the Paris Games. “As long as we go out there and do everything in our power, like do our best gymnastics and put on our best showing, I’m going to be happy with the outcome,” he said, while still aiming for a medal. Winning a high bar medal, he added, “would be the cherry on top.”
Key Points:
i. Brody Malone is on a redemption tour at the Paris Olympics after a disappointing finish in Tokyo and a severe knee injury.
ii. The U.S. men’s gymnastics team aims to win its first Olympic medal since 2008.
iii. Malone has undergone three surgeries and over a year of rehab to return to the Olympics.
iv. He embraces the role of mentor to his teammates and is focused on competing against Japanese gymnast Daiki Hashimoto.
v. Malone is considering future competitions but is currently focused on giving his best performance in Paris.
RM Tomi – Reprinted with permission of Whatfinger News
