Photo: Jay Willett/WBZ NewsRadio
STOUGHTON, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — Frederick "Flips" Richard won a bronze medal in the 2024 Paris Olympics; now he wants another accolade under his belt.
The Stoughton native is aiming to break the Guinness World Record for most backflips in 24 hours. The current record is 1,001.
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"The most I did in one day, before this, was 500," Richard told WBZ NewsRadio. "After 500, I have no clue what happens. 700, I’m worried about, but I’ll probably be fine, hopefully."
Richard's topsy-turvy quest, sponsored by energy drink company Celsius Holdings, is also for a good cause: raising $100,000 to bring gymnastics equipment to children in Uganda.
The attempt started at 8:35 a.m. Friday at Richard's old stomping grounds, Premier Gymnastics in Stoughton. A livestream on his "FrederickFlips" YouTube channel is capturing the whole thing, with muralists in the background to entertain viewers.
"My body’s made for flipping, that’s what I’ve done my whole life since I was four years old, so I think I’m ready for it regardless of how I trained," said Richard.
1 of 4 Photo: Jay Willett/WBZ NewsRadio
2 of 4 Photo: Jay Willett/WBZ NewsRadio
3 of 4 Photo: Jay Willett/WBZ NewsRadio
4 of 4 Photo: Jay Willett/WBZ NewsRadio
Dr. Elspeth Hart is also on standby to make sure everything goes smoothly.
"We’re just making sure that he’s staying hydrated throughout the entire event, as well as making sure that he’s also getting food in him," Hart said.
If a new record and thousands in donations were not enough, there will also likely be a new addition to the Richard family by the time 8:35 a.m. Saturday arrives; Frederick's sister, Alexandra, who planned the livestream, recently went into labor.
"She said, 'The show must go on, I’ve planned this, I want it to go well. Stay and get this done,'" Richard's mother Marie told WBZ NewsRadio. "Trying to break the world record for most backflips in a day and getting a grandchild on all of that, so at the end of this, Fred will probably be an uncle."
The event will be open to the public from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday.
WBZ's Jay Willett (@JayWillettWBZ) reports.