PARIS — The upcoming Olympics in Paris mark not just a significant event for the U.S. women's gymnastics team, but also a crucial moment for gymnast Brody Malone, as he embarks on his redemption tour.

After a disappointing finish on the high bar at the Tokyo Olympics and a devastating knee injury last March that nearly ended his gymnastics career, Malone is determined to at least bring home the gold on his best event.

The U.S. men's gymnastics team hasn't claimed an Olympic medal since 2008, and this year's group is determined to be the first in 16 years to reach the podium.

A minor mistake in Tokyo led to Malone finishing fourth on the high bar, which he described as leaving "a really bad taste in your mouth."

Despite this setback, Malone, 24, went on to win a bronze medal at the World Championships later that year and secured the gold at the same competition the following year. However, he acknowledges that "there's just a difference between a world medal and an Olympic medal. So that's what I want," he said.

A slip of the hand on the high bar at the DTB Cup in Germany in March 2023 cast doubt on Malone's dreams of a second Olympic appearance and an Olympic medal.

Malone "landed funky" off his dismount and dislocated his knee. Subsequent MRI results revealed multiple torn ligaments in his knee and a fractured tibia.

After three surgeries and over a year of intensive training and rehabilitation—during which he had to relearn how to walk—Malone, against all odds, is making his Olympic return on all six apparatuses.

"It was always in the plans to, you know, try to make a comeback," Malone said. "It was just whether or not I was going to be able to do floor and vault," which are the two most strenuous events on the knees.

Malone explained that his injury became a "huge motivator" for him to make it back to the Olympics. "You never really know how bad you want something until you have it taken away from you," he said. "And that is exactly how this ended up working out."

The journey was arduous, filled with days when Malone didn't want to train, frustrated with being on crutches and dealing with weeks of bed rest. However, he maintained a positive perspective. "It's important to have the perspective that I don't have to do this — I get to do this," Malone said. This mindset shift helped him focus on achievable daily goals in the gym, which kept him motivated.

All this hard work has culminated in Malone's participation in the Paris Olympics, which kick off on July 26. He stated that his knee is "doing really, really well," but he plans to stick to the routines he performed at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, aiming to execute them as cleanly as possible.

Malone is the senior member of the 2024 team, the only one of the five gymnasts with previous Olympic experience. He embraces this role, drawing from his own experience in Tokyo to guide and support his teammates, much like three-time Olympian Sam Mikulak did for him.

"Anything that I can bring to them, as far as what it's like to compete in an Olympic Games, what mental approaches to take, or anything like that. That's my role on the team," Malone said.

Malone is particularly excited to compete alongside Asher Hong, a Stanford teammate, and pommel horse star Stephen Nedoroscik. He describes Hong as "really fun" in competition and Nedoroscik as "super goofy" and someone who "keeps it light."

Nedoroscik's lighthearted attitude has helped Malone, a self-described "super focused guy," to have more fun during competitions. While he has started to crack some jokes of his own, he knows he needs to stay focused to compete against gymnasts like Japan's Daiki Hashimoto, who won the gold in the all-around in Tokyo and specializes in the high bar like Malone. Malone looks up to and respects Hashimoto but is also driven to beat him. To stay motivated, Malone even had his coach post pictures of Hashimoto around the gym.

As for Malone's future after Paris, he is uncertain. He is considering competing in the 2025 World Championships and has not ruled out participating in the Los Angeles Games in 2028. However, he also has a wedding to plan for next year, so "there's a lot of life outside of gymnastics happening for me."

For now, Malone's focus is entirely on the Paris Games. "As long as we go out there and do everything in our power, like do our best gymnastics and put on our best showing, I'm going to be happy with the outcome," he said. However, he added that "making a high bar final and winning a medal on high bar, that would be the cherry on top."