US Olympic Gymnastics Trials 2021: Brody Malone closes in on Tokyo ticket after a dominating performance on Day 1
Brody Malone inched closer to realizing his Tokyo dream after a dominating performance at the US Olympic Gymnastics Trials 2021. With six more clean routines on Day 2, the 21-year-old will guarantee a spot in the US team for the Tokyo Olympics. He is almost a full point ahead at the end of Day one.
The cumulative winner at the conclusion of the men's event will grab a spot on the US Olympic team. The runner-up will also earn a place in the squad provided he finishes in the top three in at least three events in Missouri.
US Olympic Gymnastics Trials 2021: Who is Brody Malone?
The American gymnast is a seven-time NCAA champion and Pan-Am Games silver medalist. He competed at his first elite national championship in 2016. The youngster finished 15th in the all-around but bagged bronze on the horizontal bar.
He began his senior career for the Stanford Cardinal gymnastics team in 2019. At the NCAA National Championships, Malone played a crucial role in Stanford’s title. He also won the all-around horizontal bar and floor exercise title.
At the 2021 US National Championships he won his maiden senior all-round title. He defeated six-time national champion Sam Mikulak. As a result he qualified for the US Olympic Gymnastics Trials 2021.
US Olympic Gymnastics Trials 2021 Day 1 Highlights
Malone is currently the table-topper at the US Olympic Gymnastics Trials 2021 with an all-around score of 85.25 points. The 2019 and 2021 NCAA all-round champion, scored top on the high bar (14.45), finished second on still rings (14.2), tied for first on the floor exercise (14.6) and third on the parallel bar (14.1).
Shane Wiskus is placed second with 84.3 points. The former Gophers gymnast suffered a freak injury at the 2021 US Championships and made a miraculous comeback to the floor event 18 days later.
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He proved his worthiness in Fort Worth, Texas, and was placed second after 11 (out of 12) events. But a shocking high bar routine that included three falls led to a ninth-place finish in the all-around.
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However, Wiskus has been clean at the US Olympic Gymnastics Trials 2021. He has the third highest-scoring high bar routine (13.8).
US Olympic Gymnastics Trials 2021 Day 1 Results
Men's Day 1
All-Around
Brody Malone — 85.25
Shane Wiskus — 84.3
Yul Moldauer — 83.65
Sam Mikulak — 83.2
Brandon Briones — 82.7
Akash Modi — 82.55
Allan Bower — 82.5
Paul Juda — 82.2
Cameron Bock — 81.75
Riley Loos — 81.65
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Floor Exercise
Brody Malone — 14.6
Sam Mikulak — 14.6
Paul Juda — 14.45
High Bar
Brody Malone — 14.45
Sam Mikulak — 13.85
Shane Wiskus — 13.8
Parallel Bars
Shane Wiskus — 14.5
Yul Moldauer — 14.4
Brody Malone — 14.1
Pommel Horse
Alec Yoder — 15.05
Yul Moldauer — 14.1
Allan Bower — 14.05
Still Rings
Alex Diab — 14.5
Brody Malone — 14.2
Donnell Whittenburg — 14.1
Vault
Donnell Whittenburg — 15.05
Vitaliy Guimaraes — 14.7
Shane Wiskus — 14.6