Fred Richard finished Day 1 of the US Gymnastics Trials at Target Center. With a total score of 85.600, Richard was comfortably in the lead after 4 rotations. He held on to this lead until halfway through the second day and caused a stir with his outstanding routine on the high bar. While the entire stadium went wild, no one cheered louder than his father, Carl Richard.

Richards needs to finish in the top eight to book his ticket to Paris. All he has to do is keep his routines sharp and secure the top spot on the leaderboard. Fans were thrilled to see the 20-year-old perfect his routine, but they couldn't help but gasp as the cameras turned to his father's loud cheers in the stands.

Fred Richards father Carl is looking forward to his son

The young prodigy has his eyes set on Paris, and the only thing standing between him and his dreams is the final day of the U.S. Gymnastics Qualifiers. Fred Richard's high jumps sent the crowd wild, but his solid dismount had everyone cheering for the young athlete. But as soon as Richard landed on his feet, his father stood up and screamed with joy. NBC Sports posted a clip of this adorable reaction with the caption, “We ALL could use support like Frederick Richards' parents. 👏 #USAGTrials24“His incredible performance secured him a score of 14.45, the highest score of the event so far.

It's no surprise that Carl and Anne-Marie are in the stands cheering their son on. They have always made it a point to attend every competition Richard takes part in. Although the stakes are higher than ever at the Trials, it must have been a proud moment for them to see their son give his best!

That strong start to the second day widened the gap between him and the elite gymnasts he's competing against. Richard has previously spoken about how he's not just thinking about bringing back the Olympic gold. The young prodigy wants to make a statement, and what a statement so early in the day! Team USA will breathe a sigh of relief as the high bar has never been their strong suit. But if Richard can secure a spot in the final five, he could potentially turn things around for them.

The bronze medalist at the 2024 All-Around World Championships had impressed the audience with his performance on the horizontal bar on the first day. With 14,400 points, he was also the best performance at that time. Despite a slow start, he slowly worked his way to the top of the rankings and reached a total score of 85,600 after 4 rotations.

Fans react to the heartwarming reaction

The gymnastics community isn't privy to the fact that Richard's entire family shows up everywhere he goes. But they weren't prepared for how his biggest cheerleaders react when he perfects his performances. Fans took to Twitter to share in the Richard family's celebration. One fan expressed: “He did it 🔥🔥🔥 #USAGTrials24 #GoBlue“His performances on day one are a testament to what the young prodigy is capable of, but day two has raised the bar higher than ever before.”

Another fan confessed: “My wife just asked why I'm screaming. And that's the reason.“They couldn't help but be amazed when they saw Richard's performance on the high bar. Another fan said: “SUPPORT IS KEY“Carl has already mentioned that they want to let Fred know that his family is behind him. Seeing them cheering him on at the Trials has touched every fan deeply.

One fan couldn’t help but let his intrusive thoughts run free: “I couldn't be an Olympic parent, the stress alone would wear me out. But if it works out, I'll be thrilled!” While fighting for a spot on the national team can be incredibly stressful, the pressure of watching your child fight for a spot can be just as bad. Another fan simply explained: “Massachusetts, stand up!!“One cannot help but applaud the thrilling performance of this young prodigy.

As Day 2 continues to unfold at Target Center, it would be no surprise if Fred Richard's parents were cheering the loudest. If he continues to maintain his strong position on the leaderboard, we could see Richard punch his ticket to the French capital. Will the young gymnast make his Summer Games debut this year? We'll find out soon, stay tuned!