In his world championships debut, Bowie gymnast Khoi Young became the most decorated athlete on the U.S. men’s team, winning three medals — two silvers and one bronze.
Young, who trains at Stanford University, won individual silver medals on pommel horse and vault and earned a bronze in the team competition.
For Young, the medal on the notoriously tricky pommel horse was a bright spot after falling from it during the team final at the 52nd Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Antwerp, Belgium.
“I’m glad I got to redeem myself from team final, prove to my team that I can handle the pressure,” he told the website and podcast GymCastic after Saturday’s individual final.
Young scored 14.966 on pommel horse, bested only by 2022 world champion and 2021 Olympian Rhys McClenaghan of Northern Ireland. McClenaghan, who scored 15.1, is a specialist who competes only in that event. Young trains and competes in all six events.
On Sunday, Young was the first gymnast up in the vault final, kicking off the competition with stuck landings on both of his vaults.
His average score of 14.849 for the two vaults held up through the rest of the gymnasts for silver, behind gold medalist Jake Jarman of Great Britain with 15.05.
Young’s bronze came in the team competition, with the U.S. men winning a spot on the podium for the first time since 2014. Japan won gold, while China won silver.
At just 20, Young is part of a young generation of gymnasts fueling a resurgence of the U.S. men’s team, which often competes in the shadow of the wildly successful women’s team. Young grew up training at Sportsplex Gymnastics and graduated from Bowie High School before heading to Stanford.
Another gymnast with Maryland ties, Baltimore native Donnell Whittenburg, is scheduled to compete in the Pan American Games in Chile this month.
