It’s official—Tomball’s Asher Hong will represent USA Men’s Gymnastics Team in Paris at the 2024 Olympic Games.
Joining Asher are Stephen Nedoroscik, Frederick Richard, Brody Malone and Paul Juda. Traveling alternates will be Khoi Young and Shane Wiskus.
KPRC 2’s Zach Lashway spoke with Asher Hong shortly after the competition rested and the announcement was made Saturday at Minneapolis’ Target Center.
“We’re going to bring a team medal home, that’s the goal, that’s been the goal of this quad, all along. We’re prepared and ready, we just got to go out there and do our job.” Asher explained.
He also addressed his performance on the pummel horse.
“Reset and forget the fall, you don’t want to fall a second time for your team and that’s really hammered on from the head coach and so I was just like reset, finish the routine strong, move onto rings after you’re done, you don’t want it to affect your last event, and I wanted to use that anger, frustration on rings, and I did so, again, I am proud of that,” he added.
Zach also spoke with Frederick Richard, who was an automatic in, as he was first in the all-around competition.
“It just makes me go out there proud, confident in myself, every event I went to, I knew was going to be a great set and I know if [my parents] are really happy, I know they are as happy as me or more happy cause they got to just watch me from the very first day, all the way to here, so I am just so happy for them to be where they are today.”
In total, 20 men vied for five spots to represent Team USA. Four of those men, including Asher, are from Texas. Fuzzy Benas is from Richmond, Kiran Mandava is from Cypress and Colt Walker is from Cedar Park.
According to Asher’s mom, Karen Hong, Asher has been scaling door frames since 2007, at the time Asher was just 3 years old.
“He had a lot of energy when he was a kid.” Karen Hong said.
Dad, Rick Hong said Asher knew from a young age he wanted to be an Olympian.
“He was six years old, and I asked him, what do you want to do when you grow up? And he said, I want to be an athlete. I want to go to the Olympics. I want to win medals for USA,” Rick Hong said.
So, the Hong’s figured out a fix.
“We just signed him up for, gymnastic and we didn’t do any other sports, Karen explained. “Asher is born with very exceptional talent.”
A gift he might get from his grandmother, Karen’s mother, Helen was on the Indonesian Women’s National Basketball Team, either way, Asher became wildly successful, so much so his gymnastics career prompted his family to move out of state, before eventually moving back to Texas.
The journey is extremely rewarding, but also nerve wracking.
“Going to competition is very nerve wracking for me because I just can’t. I don’t know, I just, I just get so nervous and watching them. I just don’t want them to get hurt.”
Asher is the oldest of three, his brothers Xander and Kiefer are also gymnasts.
“Our life has kind of been surrounded by gymnastics.” Explained Xander.
Kiefer said, “Definitely easier when you have like a brother you can go to and ask questions about the skill, like how do you do it? What do I need to fix?”
Zach asked the men are they competitive with one another.
Xander explained, “We would push each other in skills.”
The three boys always have each other’s backs, as does mom and dad.
“Whenever we were younger, my mom always had a saying for us pray, focus, visualize, and point your feet. And whenever we were starting to have, like, too much adrenaline or like a panic attack, we would just close our eyes and repeat that, and she would actually write it on her hand.” Explained Xander.
Emotionally, Karen said she is so proud of all her boys.
“I am very proud of them. Because, you know, it takes a lot coming from a five-and-a-half-year-old to be able to hit. It takes dedication, and a lot of perseverance in life. Just to think like you’ve waited this long. To get to where you are today. Even if you know he didn’t... not be able to represent US. And you know, the competition is so hard. He’s already a winner in my book.”
Asher attends school at Standford University. His brother Xander is headed to Stanford in the fall.
Women will compete Sunday night in Day 2 of competition.