Friendship and camaraderie often transcend the kind of sport one plays, and first-time Olympian gymnast Frederick Richard proved this. The 20-year-old athlete who recently rose to fame with his terrific performance at the US Olympic Trials finals showcased his sweet gesture for sprinter and fellow Olympian Noah Lyles.
In a recent video uploaded on his Instagram account, Richard was seen practicing one of his moves on the bar when he abruptly landed on the ground. Turns out, he had to pause his practice session to watch his favorite sprinter, Lyles, on the television.
Richard has been gaining fame not just for his talent but also for being the youngest male gymnast from the US on the roster for this Olympic season. With his debut, the future seems incredibly promising for the star.
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Lyles, on the other hand, is an already established icon on the track at this point, with his dominance already proving to be a threat to several competitors. Last year’s world title holder and acting in a Netflix docu-series, his Olympic presence this season has everyone rooting for him.
“Gotta support ur boy…”
The impressive-looking trick carried a hilarious end as Richard immediately smiled to look at Lyles on TV. The caption on the video added to the overall feeling of wholesome support and humor sprinkled within it.
“POV: you’re locked in but your boy’s on TV”
Richard isn’t the only one to have been rooting for Lyles on track this season since several icons from the field have had their eyes glued on the world champion. However, looking at the US Track and Field trials this season, one might come across another powerful contender to match up to his level.
Will Noah Lyles have to battle his teammate at the 200m sprint this Olympics?
The podcast Ready, Set, Go, hosted by track legends Justin Gatlin and Rodney Greene, recently talked about the 200m US Olympic trials finals that took place in Eugene, Oregon. Out of all the competitors who sweat it out till the finish line, Lyles was narrowly caught on to by his teammate and fellow Olympian Kenny Bednarek.
Greene recalled being blown away by Bednarek’s determination and speed since this season seemed to hit differently in many ways. With a 0.06s difference from the world champion, the 25-year-old swore to chase him till the very end, and he kept his promise during the finals.
Now, with a compelling opponent in Lyles’ team, the hosts wondered if they might see a new champion emerge during the Olympics. Nevertheless, the competition between Lyles and Bednarek would be a sight to behold, and fans would love to see a good rivalry on the track.
