Olympic medallist Frederick Richard backflips over 1,000x for charity, raises over $60,000
American gymnast and Olympic bronze medallist Frederick “Fred” Richard spent a significant portion of his weekend upside down, as part of an inspiring record and fundraising attempt for underprivileged children in Africa.
The decorated athlete took home a popular Guinness World Records title on 2-3 May for the most backwards somersaults in 24 hours – a challenge requiring incredible stamina, balance, and dedication as the participant attempts to complete at least 1,001 repetitions.
But Fred was fighting for something more than glory – he was taking the title as part of a massive crowdfunding attempt to bring professional gymnastics equipment to kids in Africa.
By livestreaming his record attempt on YouTube and launching a weeks-long fundraising campaign, the Olympian was able to donate over $60,000 to the cause on behalf of his organization the Frederickflips Foundation and in partnership with the Dominican Health and Education Initiative (DAHEI).
Over 55,000 people watched his attempt take place on YouTube, with over 1,200 donating to his GoFundMe – and everyone was thrilled to see Fred take home the record just before midnight on 2 May. The gymnast performed 1,111 backwards somersaults – AKA standing backflips – in roughly 12 hours, averaging 1.5 flips-per-minute and taking the title in a dizzying amount of time.
Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Fred has been a member of Team USA’s men's artistic gymnastics team since 2022. Despite being just 21 years old, he’s been flipping for over 15 years now, and recently led the men’s gymnastics team at the University of Michigan to its seventh NCAA National Championship, individually clinching the all-around title.
Last year, Fred’s performance at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics helped the US take home the bronze, the first medal for Team USA’s men's team in 16 years. His success on the mat translated to social power, as he amassed over 1.5 million followers on Instagram and TikTok, and was named by Time as of the most influential emerging stars of 2024.
But off the mat, Fred is a major advocate for his sport, and he told Guinness World Records he wanted to use his platform for “something bigger than himself.”
For months, he’s been posting content on his social pages that showcase the talents of underprivileged gymnasts around the world – notably, Clon Circus Uganda, a foundation dedicated to “supporting street kids and orphans in finding purpose and a brighter future.”
The children in Fred’s videos share the same enthusiasm he had for the sport while he was younger, but their conditions are remarkably different – the Olympian trained on plush mats in air-conditioned gyms, while his friends flip on solid ground.
“Right now, many of these talented young athletes train on makeshift setups like tyres and other unsafe surfaces,” said Fred’s GoFundMe. “With your help, we can change that and give them the resources they need to reach their full potential.”
To raise awareness for the cause, Fred decided to take on the backflip world record to demonstrate some of the incredible skills required to become a professional athlete, while highlighting how inequity plays a role in developing young talent.
He wanted to complete the event at the same place he first started gymnastics as a kid – so he turned a corner of mats into a makeshift stage at the Premier Gym in his hometown of Stockton, Massachusetts, and began flipping like his life depended on it in front of a livestream of enthusiastic supporters.
The charismatic young athlete planned on taking 18 hours to finish the challenge, with a rate of one backflip per minute, but he quickly surpassed his goal – stopping only to recharge, and offer some adorable backflip advice to some young aspiring gymnasts watching his attempt!
By the time he was done, he had taken the title – and the hearts of sympathetic sports lovers worldwide. His comments were flooded with congratulations, and over $25,000 was added to the GoFundMe in just 24 hours.
And the moment was even more special for Fred, who became an uncle the same day he took home a Guinness World Records title. He said he wanted to finish his flips before midnight so he could go to the hospital to visit his family and new nephew Amir.
“All the people around me helped me get to the next level and make it to my dreams,” said Fred. “So now I come back and do stuff like this to help other people get to the next level.”
And with that strong head on his shoulders (and a great sense of balance), we’re positive that he will go on to set even more incredible records in the future. Congratulations, Fred – you’re Officially Amazing!
Header image: Alamy