A fortnight ago, headlines blazed with the words: National All-Around Champion – 84.264. Another title. Another accolade. And another moment, Fred Richard stood on top. But if you know Fred—the gymnast, the myth, the movement—you’d know his eyes were already set on something far beyond medals, far beyond mats. This wasn’t about winning anymore. It was about giving.

Over the past few months, Fred had been sharing more than just slow-mo tumbles and stuck landings. His social feed turned into a window into another world—the dirt-packed practice grounds of Clon Circus Uganda. A grassroots haven for street kids and orphans, this modest initiative was creating gymnasts out of hope, building discipline out of the dust, and flipping odds in favor of the forgotten. However, Fred didn’t just amplify their voices—he joined them. His goal? Raise $100,000 to provide proper gymnastics equipment for these young athletes in Africa. His method? Backflips. A lot of them.

So on May 2, fueled by purpose and a pinch of personal joy—he had just become an uncle—Fred launched into a flipping frenzy. Not for glory. Not for gold. But to raise awareness, raise funds, and, quite literally, raise the bar. The mission: break the world record for most backflips in under 24 hours. The number to beat: 1,001, held by Austrian parkour athlete Nico Scheicher. Fred’s final count: 1,111. He broke the record before midnight, the same day he stepped into unclehood. As the clock struck twelve, Fred Richard wasn’t just a record-holder—he was a legacy builder.

Three days later, on May 5, Fred Richard posted a photo on Instagram. Standing tall, saluting the crowd, a message stamped boldly across the image: “$50K RAISED.” His caption read: “We’ve hit a great milestone after totaling the go fund me, YouTube donations, and text message donations from the backflip record stream. We can really make a difference for these kids in Uganda now. Thank you everyone for supporting😁👌🏾.” 

So, the Olympian is halfway there—halfway to a dream that isn’t even his own. And the gymnastics world noticed. How? you may ask. Well, 2024 USAG National Vault champion Krystin Johnson chimed in with a comment that radiated love and awe: “U are pretty dope! This is pretty dope! 🔥🔥🔥 May great things continue to find you. May you continue to be blessed do that you can continue to bless others 🥰”  Then, quietly but profoundly, the heroes at the heart of this story—Clon Circus Uganda—replied with a single word: “Absolutely.”

So, it’s not just about flips. It’s about impact. And somehow, it’s about a champion choosing to use his spotlight not to shine on himself, but to illuminate a forgotten corner of the world. And how would the gymnastics fans let it go without celebrating it? Meanwhile, the comment box contains evidence of love. 

Fred Richard earns his colleagues’ and gymnastics fans’ flowers 

“Let’s gooooooo !!!!” It wasn’t just a comment—it was a roar from the sidelines. From Donell Whittenburg, no less. A name etched into U.S. gymnastics history. A warrior of the mat. And now, a brother-in-arms shouting encouragement to Fred Richard, the 21-year-old phenom flipping not for himself, but for a cause half a world away. However, Fred and Donnell have shared more than medals. They’ve shared sweat, silence, pressure, and purpose. They’ve stood shoulder to shoulder for Team USA. They even briefly shared space under the GOAT umbrella—where greatness isn’t just expected, it’s demanded. So when Donnell typed those words, it came with the weight of a history only a gymnast understands. But it wasn’t just Donnell.

Brielle, a Level-10 gymnast who’s no stranger to the grind, dropped her own words of praise: “This is amazing!! Thank you for what you’re doing! 👏🏾” And then came the fans. Not elite athletes, but everyday believers who watched Fred not just chase a world record, but chase something far bigger: hope for others.

“I love how you’re using your platform to do good! Keep it up!” one fan wrote—words that hit different when the flips are finished, but the mission is still in motion. Meanwhile, Clon Circus Uganda—the fearless, joy-filled, barefoot gymnasts from East Africa. Their response?

In the end, it was Clon Circus Uganda who wrote, “God is great ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️and we hope for more donations to come in.” As of the latest tally, Fred Richard’s campaign has raised $46,291 via GoFundMe.But that means one thing: Halfway there.  And still, a mountain left to climb. Now comes the question everyone’s whispering: Can Fred really raise $100,000? Maybe the better question is: Who’s going to help him get there?

Because if there’s one thing this story has proven, it’s that gymnastics isn’t just about sticking landings—it’s about lifting people. Fred may have been the one flipping, but every comment, every donation, every repost is another hand helping push this dream forward.

Fred already broke the world backflip record—1,111 flips in under 24 hours. Now, he’s aiming to break something even tougher: the barrier between privilege and purpose. And maybe, just maybe, this won’t be remembered as just Fred Richard’s achievement…but everyone’s.