Team USA men’s gymnastics had a memorable day on Monday, winning a bronze medal for their first team medal since 2008. The star of the show was Stephen Nedoroscik, who nailed his pommel horse routine and was mobbed by his teammates.
The team’s medal win got prime-time coverage on NBC and yet the reality is that the attention will pale — as it always does — when the U.S. women compete in the team title on Tuesday. Simone Biles will headline the push for gold and there’s no one comparable on the men’s side in terms of name ID and popularity. In gymnastics, the women rule.
Which it’s why it’s time to bring back an idea from 2016, when then U.S. Olympians Sam Mikulak and Jake Dalton pitched the idea of competing shirtless. “Maybe compete with our shirts off,” Mikulak, the four-time, reigning all-around national champion, told the Wall Street Journal. “People make fun of us for wearing tights. But if they saw how yoked we are maybe that would make a difference.”
Dalton talked about the athletes’ “incredible physiques,” showing off in a “Flex Friday” post.
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It was a great idea then and a great one now, even though it seems to have gone nowhere. A Wall Street Journal story last week — “Sex Couldn’t Sell America on Men’s Gymnastics. What About Success?” —argued that athleticism and not competing shirtless would help sell the sport. Even Mikulak, now a U.S. coach, seemed to concur, saying, “I think the thing that actually needs to happen more is just get more people involved in the non-Olympic competitions.”
It doesn’t have to be either/or. You can sell the steak by also selling the sizzle.
Someone who agrees with me is Sam Phillips, a champion NCAA gymnast for Nebraska who will be competing for Illinois next season. Phillips, who is gay, said the idea of competing shirtless makes perfect sense.
“There are absolutely zero drawbacks to competing shirtless,” Phillips told Outsports. “Every sport competes in what’s someone’s most comfortable gear. Gymnasts, however, are constantly uncomfortable in a tight and inhibiting [leotard].
“We work out shirtless and would prefer competing shirtless with 5-inch seam workout shorts. It’s where we are at our most comfortable. Swimmers don’t practice in Speedos then compete in loose swim trunks, right? So why should we change what we do?”
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Olympic gymnasts love post social media of themselves shirtless while training, including U.S. Olympic hero Nedoroscik and these other Olympians.
As you can see, this is how all gymnasts naturally train, so why are they required to wear a shirt when competing? They don’t make swimmers and divers and water polo players don wetsuits. Being shirtless would be captivating without diminishing the athleticism.
“We believe it would increase viewership,” Phillips said. “Who doesn’t want to see insane physiques and muscles in a cross or rings strength positions? It’s a beautiful demonstration of our strength, work, flexibility and diversity.”
Ditch the shirt and let these jocks shine.
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