Plano's Asher Hong makes U.S. Olympic men's gymnastics team
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Asher Hong is headed to the Paris Olympics, which will be his first. Right after he realized it, he said he still couldn’t believe it.
“I don’t know; it doesn’t really feel real right now. I’m speechless,” Hong said after the team was announced.
Asher Hong, 20, who helped the U.S. win a team bronze at the 2023 world championships, is currently a sophomore at Stanford University in California. He trains in Houston and was born in Plano.
It’s not lost on him the amount of talent that comes out of Texas, either.
“I think the sports culture down there is pretty big. I’m not too much of a sports guy myself, but the athlete support down there is awesome. Honestly, I am fortunate that Texas doesn’t have a university program because there are so many that come out of there,” Hong said.
Fred Richard, Brody Malone, Paul Juda, and Stephen Nedoroscik make up the five-man team that Hong feels very confident will make waves in Paris.
“We’re going to bring the team medal home. That has been the goal. We are prepared and ready, and we just have to go do our jobs,” Hong said.
His performance at U.S. Olympics trials in Minneapolis wasn’t perfect and he knew that. He said he couldn’t let a misstep hurt his chances of making the team.
“[I just told myself] reset and forget about the fall. In the collegiate space, you don’t want to fall a second time for your team. So, I was just saying reset, finish the routine small, and move on to rings. I didn’t want to let it affect my last event, and I wanted to use that anger and frustration on rings, and I did so. I am proud of that,” Hong said.
Hong also said the atmosphere in the Target Center was electric, helping many of the athletes stay mentally in it. For the final round for the men, more than 14,100 fans showed up. Some of them were Hong’s family. He said having them there to support him was invaluable.
Three-time world medalist Khoi Young and Tokyo Olympian Shane Wiskus are alternates for the team.