SOUTH LYON, Mich. (WXYZ) — At a preschool in South Lyon on Tuesday, it wasn’t the teacher reading to students but Olympic bronze medalist Frederick Richard.
On social media, the gymnast is known by many as "Federick Flips."
"I just, I don’t know, I've just been flipping my whole life," Richard said.
He’s not kidding — Richard has been a gymnast for a very long time.
“Since I was 4 years old. So, I've been doing it before preschool," Richard said.
Just last summer, the now 20-year-old student at the University of Michigan made his Olympic debut in Paris.
“You have one shot. You have one shot to represent for the country, bring home medals. It definitely felt like this full-circle moment," Richard said.
It was a full-circle moment once again on Tuesday as Richard found himself back in preschool at The Learning Center in South Lyon. This time, he was there to read to kids in honor of National Reading Month.
“We just thought why not make it happen," preschool teacher Mollie Blixt said.
Blixt is a parent of a gymnast. Her son is actually Richard's teammate at Michigan, and it's why she felt inspired to organize Richard's visit.
“I think he has a really strong platform and tries to bring a lot of awareness to the sport," Blixt said.
In fact, Richard is trying to make the men’s gymnastics uniform better for gymnasts.
“They’re very tight and restrictive. I never felt very comfortable in it," said Richard, who now wears shorts and a loose top when he performs, despite losing points for it in competition.
“You can make changes in your sport and for those younger kids who might also feel that way. These changes will help them," Richard said.
At one point, "reading time" turned into "show and tell" Tuesday as Richard showed off a couple of his moves, demonstrating a back flip right before students' eyes.
He also surprised the class with something that’s part of his story forever: his bronze medal.
Richard says Tuesday's event was more than just reading a story but also a chance to share his own.
“The goal is to inspire the kids. Be big, dream big. If I want it bad enough, why not me?" he said.
