Back in February, during the USA Gymnastics Winter Cup, Fred Richard made “a modern-day switch of the uniform.” He ditched the traditional tight unitards and introduced a custom men’s gymnastics uniform, with a looser-fitting tank top and shorts. Soon, as Richard’s new gymnastics gear garnered attention, IShowSpeed (Darren Watkins) tried both the regular version and Richard’s version of the outfits. It seems like Noah Lyles also has some insights on which uniform is better.

In an episode of his SpeedGoesPro series, IShowSpeed showcased his gymnastics skills, performing a flip in a custom outfit strikingly reminiscent of what Fred wore at the Winter Cup. However, in another episode featuring Olympian Suni Lee, the YouTuber performed some gymnastics routines in traditional unitard. Drawing comparison between both the uniforms that IShowSpeed wore, Richard took to his Instagram and posted a question in the caption, “Come on guys, let’s be real, which one is better?”

Following this, Noah Lyles shared the gymnast’s Instagram post on the story and added, “Changing the games through uniforms.”

The classic singlet and long pants, has been a staple of men’s gymnastics. In their place, Richard debuted an outfit better suited for the basketball court: a relaxed tank paired with mid-thigh shorts, layered over crisp white leggings. When he first debuted the new uniform, he explained, “I definitely look up to sports like basketball, soccer, basically the sports where people are wearing your jersey in the crowd. Fans right now, they’re not wearing our numbers or our jerseys. So when I was thinking about the top, I thought, you know, what’s something that parents can wear, kids can wear, and that’s the future of this.”

Richards’ formula is simple: keep it comfortable without compromising performance. The basketball-inspired uniforms do just that. But will the gymnastics authorities yield to his vision? The truth remains murky, as most top officials aren’t taking the new designs seriously. Yet, Lyles’ support has breathed fresh life into the movement. Interestingly, Lyles and Fred are close friends, and Lyles has even tried his hand at gymnastics himself.

The time when Noah Lyles tried his hand at gymnastics

Back in December 2024, Noah Lyles stopped by Fred Richard’s gym just for fun. Fred guided him through four basic challenges like muscle-ups, handstand holds, pushups and backflips. To everyone’s surprise, Lyles executed each one flawlessly. Reflecting on Lyles’ abilities, Richard remarked, “Lyles dominated every exercise. He even nailed the backflip like a pro.”

Well, Lyles and Fred are close friends – one could even say Lyles has been supporting him since his early days. In episode 107 of The Sam Oldham Podcast, Frederick Richards opened up about his extraordinary journey, and mentioned “Noah, I actually knew him before the Olympics… he was already supporting me. He followed me, he saw my journey,” Richard shared. “Number one, you have to be out there, you have to be doing things in the world for people to notice you. Once they notice you and they respect you, then it’s building the conversation.”

Their connection started with mutual admiration, but it quickly evolved into a strategic alliance. Ever the innovator, Richard spotted an opportunity to take things further. Well, even though Noah Lyles has supported his cause but will he be able to make any change? Time will tell.