Brody Malone was eliminated from contention in the men's all-around on Saturday in Paris. The Team USA gymnast fell twice on the high bar during the first day of competition and finished third among his teammates Frederick Richard and Paul Juda with the only two athletes per country eligible to advance to the 24-person final.
Malone's performance shocked many as he was considered Team USA's best chance at an all-around medal. While it's a disappointment, his very involvement in the 2024 Olympics was an incredible feat. Malone suffered a devastating knee injury in March 2023 when he fell on his dismount at the DTB Cup in Germany. Malone suffered a "tibial plateau fracture in his right knee, a fully torn LCL, a torn meniscus, a partially torn PCL and some cartilage damage."
Forget the Olympics, a year ago he was relearning to walk following three surgeries. Retirement was not out of the question.
Malone made a miraculous comeback and won the US gymnastics championships a year later. Malone, his friends and family are surely disappointed today, but once they have some distance, simply making the journey to the Paris Olympics will be as impressive as any medal.
The American gymnasts still have a chance to advance to Monday's team final.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Everything to Know About Brody Malone's 2023 Injury Before Paris Olympics.
