Asher Hong Explained

Asher Hong
Full Name:Asher Keen Wah Hong
Country:United States
Birth Date:23 March 2004
Birth Place:Plano, Texas, U.S.
Hometown:Tomball, Texas, U.S.
Height:5 ft 1 in
Discipline:MAG
Natlteam:2022–present
Gym:Cypress Academy
Collegeteam:Stanford Cardinal
Headcoach:Thom Glielmi
Formercoach:Tom Meadows
Show-Medals:yes

Asher Keen Wah Hong (Chinese: 湯健華; born March 23, 2004) is an American artistic gymnast and a member of the United States men's national artistic gymnastics team. He was a member of the bronze medal-winning team at the 2023 World Championships. He represented the United States at the 2024 Summer Olympics where he won a bronze medal in the team competition.

His surname 湯 is pronounced Hong when spoken in Taishanese.

Early life and education

Hong was born in Plano, Texas, on March 23, 2004, to Rick and Karen Hong. He has two brothers, Xander and Kiefer, both of whom are gymnasts and national team members.[1] He schooled through Edgenuity Virtual Academy before enrolling at Stanford University to pursue gymnastics.

Gymnastics career

2018

Hong competed at the RD761 International Junior Team Cup where he helped his team place third and individually he placed sixth on floor exercise. He competed at the 2018 Winter Cup where he placed first in the junior division and won gold on rings and parallel bars.[2] Hong was selected to compete at the Pacific Rim Championships alongside fellow juniors Lazarus Barnhill and Justin Ah Chow and seniors Sam Mikulak, Akash Modi, and Marvin Kimble; together they placed first in the team competition and Hong placed second in the all-around behind Barnhill.[3] During event finals Hong won gold on pommel horse, silver on floor exercise, and bronze on rings and parallel bars.[4]

2019–21

Hong competed at the 2019 U.S. National Championships where he finished third in the all-around in the 15-16 age division.[5] In early 2020 Hong competed at the RD761 Gymnastics Invitational where he helped his team finish second. Individually he won bronze on the horizontal bar. He placed second in the all-around at the 2020 Winter Cup.[6] The rest of the competitions throughout the year were either canceled or postponed due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Hong returned to competition in early 2021; he competed at the Elite Team Cup and the 2021 Winter Cup. He won the junior all-around competition at the latter event.[7] Additionally he placed first on floor exercise, pommel horse, rings, and parallel bars.[8] In November Hong signed his National Letter of Intent with Stanford University, intending to begin competing with their gymnastics team in the 2022–2023 season.[9]

2022

Hong became age-eligible for senior competition starting in 2022. He competed at the 2022 Winter Cup where he placed third in the all-around behind Vitaliy Guimaraes and Khoi Young.[10] [11] During event finals he won gold on vault, silver on floor exercise and rings, and bronze on parallel bars. As a result Hong was selected to represent the USA at the DTB Pokal Team Challenge in Stuttgart alongside Guimaraes, Young, Brody Malone, and Yul Moldauer.[12] While there he helped the USA place first as a team.[13] During event finals Hong won gold on rings, silver on floor exercise behind Félix Dolci, and placed fourth on parallel bars.

In August Hong competed at the U.S. National Championships. He placed third in the all-around behind Brody Malone and Donnell Whittenburg. Additionally, he placed second on floor exercise, third on rings, and first on vault.[14] In October Hong was named to the team to compete at the 2022 World Championships alongside Brody Malone, Stephen Nedoroscik, Colt Walker, and Donnell Whittenburg.[15] During qualifications Hong finished sixth in the all-around qualified for the final. During the team final Hong contributed scores on all apparatuses besides the horizontal bar towards the USA's fifth-place finish.[16] During the all-around final Hong finished sixth.[17]

2023

Hong was selected to represent the United States at the DTB Pokal Team Challenge alongside Yul Moldauer, Brody Malone, Fred Richard, and Shane Wiskus. Together they placed first as a team and individually Hong qualified to three event finals. He won bronze on pommel horse.[18] In August Hong competed at the Core Hydration Classic. He won the all-around, rings, and vault title and placed second on floor exercise behind Connor McCool.[19]

Hong later competed at the Xfinity National Championships where he placed first in the all-around ahead of Khoi Young and Fred Richard, winning his first national championship.[20] [21] The following day he was named to the team to compete at the upcoming World Championships alongside Young, Richard, Yul Moldauer, Paul Juda, and alternate Colt Walker.[22]

At the World Championships Hong helped the USA qualify to the team final in second place. Individually he qualified to the all-around and parallel bars finals. During the team final he contributed scores on floor exercise, rings, vault, and parallel bars toward the USA's third-place finish. In doing so, he helped the USA win their first team medal in nine years.[23] During the all-around final Hong placed nineteenth.[24]

2024

Hong competed at the NCAA Championships in mid-April. He contributed scores on pommel horse, rings, vault, and parallel bars to help Stanford win their fifth consecutive team title. Individually he won the title on the latter three apparatuses.[25]

In June, Hong competed at the U.S. Olympic Trials, where he placed fifth in the all-around (167.650),[26] first on rings (29.150), fourth on floor (28.500), fourth on parallel bars (29.550), 11th on high bar (26.300) and 17th on pommel horse (24.550).[27] On June 29, he was named to the U.S. Olympic Team to compete at the 2024 Olympic Games alongside Brody Malone, Fred Richard, Paul Juda, and Stephen Nedoroscik.[28]

Competitive history

width=7% class=unsortableYearwidth=37% class=unsortableEventwidth=7% class=unsortableTeamwidth=7% class=unsortableAAwidth=7% class=unsortableFXwidth=7% class=unsortablePHwidth=7% class=unsortableSRwidth=7% class=unsortableVTwidth=7% class=unsortablePBwidth=7% class=unsortableHB
Junior
2017 align=left International Junior Team Cup (under 14)
2018 align=left RD761 International Junior Team Cup 6
align=left
align=left
2019 align=left U.S. National Championships (15-16) 6 4 7 5
2020 align=left RD761 Gymnastics Invitational 12 8
align=left Elite Team Cup
align=left 9 4 5 4
2021 align=left Elite Team Cup
align=left 6
Senior
2022 align=left 17 29
align=left 4
align=left 16 6 29
align=left 5 6
2023 align=left
align=left 5 4
align=left MPSF Championships 9 5 4 14
align=left 17 30 6 11 35
align=left 26 7 8
align=left 13 15 5 11
align=left 19 6
2024 align=left MPSF Championships 7 4
align=left 14
align=left 10 14 20 4 20
align=left 5417411
align=left Olympic Games

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Asher Hong USAG profile. USA Gymnastics. April 1, 2022. April 1, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220401181234/https://usagym.org/pages/athletes/athleteListDetail.html?id=470635. live.
  2. Web site: Mikulak, Hong win Winter Cup Challenge all-around titles. February 17, 2018. USA Gymnastics. April 1, 2022. September 20, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220920171639/https://usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=21330. dead.
  3. Web site: U.S. men, Mikulak, Barnhill take gold at Pacific Rim Championships. April 27, 2018. USA Gymnastics. April 1, 2022. April 1, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220401181231/https://usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=21785. live.
  4. Web site: USA brings home 29 medals from men's, women's individual event finals. April 29, 2018. USA Gymnastics. April 1, 2022. September 16, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210916161259/https://usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=21807. dead.
  5. Web site: Mikulak notches super six at U.S. Championships. August 10, 2019. USA Gymnastics. April 1, 2022. January 7, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220107010010/https://www.usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=24372. dead.
  6. Web site: Mikulak wins four event medals, Benas claims Junior All-Around Title at 2020 Winter Cup Challenge. February 23, 2020. USA Gymnastics. April 1, 2022. September 20, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220920171102/https://usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=25250. dead.
  7. Web site: Region 3 takes sixth-consecutive Elite Team Cup title led by all-around champion Asher Hong. February 27, 2021. USA Gymnastics. April 1, 2022. April 1, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220401181235/https://usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=25922. live.
  8. Web site: Winter Cup individual men's event champions named, four additional gymnasts earn U.S. Men's National Team berths. USA Gymnastics. February 28, 2021. April 1, 2022. September 20, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220920171451/https://usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=25925. dead.
  9. Web site: Hong Headed to The Farm. November 11, 2021. Pac-12 Conference. April 1, 2022. December 8, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211208012949/https://pac-12.com/article/2021/11/11/hong-headed-farm. dead.
  10. Web site: Guimaraes takes men's senior all-around title at 2022 Winter Cup Presented by OZONE and TURN; five gymnasts automatically qualify to National Team. February 26, 2022. USA Gymnastics. March 18, 2022. February 27, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220227035333/https://usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=27042. live.
  11. Web site: Winter Cup success: Three Cardinal gymnasts named to U.S. Senior National Team. February 27, 2022. The Stanford Daily. March 18, 2022. March 2, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220302184034/https://stanforddaily.com/2022/02/27/winter-cup-success-three-cardinal-gymnasts-named-to-u-s-senior-national-team/. live.
  12. Web site: U.S. men announce lineups for upcoming FIG Apparatus World Cup in Egypt, DTB Pokal Team Challenge and Mixed Cup in Germany. March 8, 2022. USA Gymnastics. March 18, 2022. March 8, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220308221036/https://usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=27099. live.
  13. Web site: U.S. men claim junior and senior team titles at 2022 DTB Pokal Team Challenge. March 18, 2022. USA Gymnastics. April 1, 2022. April 1, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220401181233/https://usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=27137. live.
  14. Web site: Malone repeats as all-around champion at 2022 OOFOS U.S. Gymnastics Championships. August 21, 2022. USA Gymnastics. August 22, 2022. August 21, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220821050806/https://usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=27791. live.
  15. Web site: U.S. men's program sending mix of World medalists, rising stars to 2022 Artistic World Championships. USA Gymnastics. October 5, 2022. October 6, 2022. October 6, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221006120901/https://usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=27906. live.
  16. Web site: U.S. men fifth at Artistic World Championships. November 2, 2022. USA Gymnastics. December 13, 2022. December 13, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221213160120/https://usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=28000. live.
  17. Web site: Malone fourth in men's all-around, Hong sixth at Artistic World Championships. USA Gymnastics. November 4, 2022. December 13, 2022. December 13, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221213160344/https://usagym.org/pages/post.html?PostID=28010. live.
  18. Web site: U.S., Germany and Japan sweep team titles at DTB Pokal. March 19, 2023. International Gymnast Media. April 25, 2023. April 25, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230425030547/https://www.intlgymnast.com/news/u-s-germany-and-japan-sweep-team-titles-at-dtb-pokal/. live.
  19. Web site: Hong brothers crowned as junior and senior men's all-around champions at Core Hydration Classic. August 6, 2023. USA Gymnastics. August 11, 2023. August 11, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230811165302/https://usagym.org/hong-brothers-crowned-as-junior-and-senior-mens-all-around-champions-at-core-hydration-classic/. live.
  20. News: Teenager Asher Hong wins first men's national gymnastics title. Will. Graves. Associated Press. August 27, 2023. August 28, 2023. August 28, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230828193025/https://apnews.com/article/gymnastics-paris-olympics-a57c5f823985e92a16ca5b77fcdab679. live.
  21. Web site: Hong rallies for U.S. men's title at Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships. USA Gymnastics. August 27, 2023. August 28, 2023. August 28, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230828132956/https://usagym.org/hong-rallies-for-u-s-mens-title-at-xfinity-u-s-gymnastics-championships/. live.
  22. Web site: U.S. Senior Men's teams named for 2023 Artistic World Championships, Pan American Games. USA Gymnastics. August 27, 2023. August 28, 2023. August 28, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230828132955/https://usagym.org/u-s-senior-mens-teams-named-for-2023-artistic-world-championships-pan-american-games/. live.
  23. Web site: U.S. men claim team bronze at World Championships. USA Gymnastics. October 3, 2023. October 6, 2023. October 11, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231011000420/https://usagym.org/u-s-men-claim-team-bronze-at-world-championships/. live.
  24. Web site: Richard makes more history with all-around bronze at World Championships. USA Gymnastics. October 5, 2023. October 6, 2023. December 3, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231203102539/https://usagym.org/richard-makes-more-history-with-all-around-bronze-at-world-championships/. live.
  25. Web site: The Dynasty Continues. April 20, 2024. Stanford Cardinal. June 30, 2024. May 27, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240527013159/https://gostanford.com/news/2024/4/20/mens-gymnastics-the-dynasty-continues.aspx. live.
  26. Web site: Peene . Sam . 27 June 2024 . 2024 U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Trials: All Results . June 29, 2024 . . June 28, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240628144934/https://olympics.com/en/news/2024-us-olympic-gymnastics-trials-all-results . live .
  27. Web site: 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials - Men Day 2 . June 29, 2024 . USA Gymnastics.
  28. Web site: June 29, 2024 . Frederick Richard, Brody Malone and more named to men's U.S. Olympic gymnastics team . June 29, 2024 . NBC News.

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