Paul Juda

Paul Wojciech Juda (/ˈdʒuːdə/ JOO-də; born July 7, 2001)^[1] is an American artistic gymnast. He is 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 and the bronze medal-winning team at the 2024 Olympic Games. He was also a two-time silver medalist at the 2021 Pan American Championships. In NCAA Gymnastics, he competes for the Michigan Wolverines, where he has won five Big Ten titles (two individual and three team) and three individual NCAA championships.

Paul Juda
Full name	Paul Wojciech Juda
Country represented	United States
Born	(2001-07-07) July 7, 2001 (age 23) Des Plaines, Illinois, U.S.
Hometown	Deerfield, Illinois, U.S.
Height	5 ft 4 in (163 cm)
Discipline	Men's artistic gymnastics
Years on national team	2020–present
College team	Michigan Wolverines
Head coach(es)	Yuan Xiao
Assistant coach(es)	Jordan Gaarenstroom, Juha Tanskanen
Medal record Representing  United States Men's artistic gymnastics Event 1st 2nd 3rd Olympic Games 0 0 1 World Championships 0 0 1 Pan American Championships 0 2 0 Total 0 2 2 Olympic Games 2024 Paris Team World Championships 2023 Antwerp Team Pan American Championships 2021 Rio de Janeiro Team 2021 Rio de Janeiro All-around FIG World Cup Event 1st 2nd 3rd World Cup 0 2 0 Total 0 2 0
Awards	Nissen-Emery Award (2023)

Early life and education

Juda was born in Des Plaines, Illinois, to Ewa Bacher and Jozef Juda, both Polish immigrants. He has two older siblings.^[2] He attended Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Illinois, before enrolling at the University of Michigan to pursue gymnastics.^[3]

Gymnastics career

Junior

2016–17

Juda competed at the 2016 Junior Olympic National Championships, where he won gold in the floor exercise and silver in parallel bars and horizontal bar.^[4] In May 2017, he competed at the 2017 Junior Olympic National Championships where he won gold in the all-around. In August 2017, he competed at the 2017 U.S. National Gymnastics Championships in the junior division, where he won a silver medal in the all-around and on still rings and parallel bars.^[5]

2018–19

He competed at the 2018 Winter Cup in the junior division. He won gold on floor exercise and silver on still rings and parallel bars. In August 2018, he competed at the 2018 U.S. National Gymnastics Championships at the junior division, where he won gold on still rings, sixth on pommel horse, and sixth on floor exercise.^[6] In August 2019, he competed at the 2019 U.S. National Gymnastics Championships, where he won bronze on horizontal bar, and compiled a score of 159.850 to place 13th.^[7] Following his performance at the competition, he was named to the United States men's national junior gymnastics team.^[8]

Senior

2020

In February 2020, Juda competed at the 2020 Winter Cup, where he won bronze on horizontal bars, tied for fifth on floor exercise, and eighth in all-around (81.650).^[9] Following his outstanding performance at the Winter Cup, he was named to the United States men's national gymnastics team. At 19 years old, he became the national team's youngest member.^[10][11]

In November 2020, he competed at the 2020 Friendship and Solidarity Competition where he won a gold medal with Team Solidarity.^[12] On individual events, he scored a 14.40 on vault, a 13.80 on floor exercise, a 13.40 on pommel horse, a 13.00 on still rings, a 13.20 on parallel bars and an 11.50 on horizontal bar. The event served as Juda's first senior-level international competition.^[13]

Juda began competing for the Michigan Wolverines men's gymnastics team in 2020. During a season that was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he was named Big Ten Gymnast of the Week once, Big Ten Freshman of the Week twice and CGA Gymnast of the Week and CGA Gymnast Freshman of the Week once.^[14] He recorded a 15.000 on horizontal bar for his season high, the third-highest score in the NCAA. He captured eight individual event titles, including three on the horizontal bar, and earned CGA All-America honors on the horizontal bar after leading the nation with an average score of 14.083. He finished the season ranked No. 6 in the NCAA in the all-around averaging a 79.750 score.^[15] Following the season, he was named Big Ten Conference Freshman of the Year.^[16]

2021

In February 2021, he competed at the 2021 Winter Cup, where he finished fourth on parallel bars with a score of 13.900, and sixth in the all-around with a score of 79.850.^[17][18]

During the 2021 NCAA season, he captured thirteen event titles and was the top-ranked all-around gymnast in the country, with a national qualifying average of 86.167. He was also ranked No. 1 nationally on horizontal bar (14.367), No. 1 in the Big Ten on parallel bars (14.617), and second in the league on floor exercise (14.533), still rings (14.300) and pommel horse (14.250). He helped Michigan advance to the 2021 NCAA Men's Gymnastics Championship, where he won silver on the pommel horse and helped the team win bronze.^[19] Following the season, he was named Big Ten Conference Gymnast of the Year and CGA National MVP.^[20][21]

In June 2021, he competed at the 2021 Pan American Gymnastics Championships and won silver in the all-around with a score of 83.000.^[22][23][24] As a result, he qualified to compete at the Olympic Trials.^[25]

2022

In March 2022, Juda competed at the Cairo World Cup, where he won silver on the floor exercise and horizontal bar.^[26]

During the 2022 NCAA season, he won eleven event titles and was named Big Ten Gymnast of the Week twice. He led the conference on parallel bars (14.080 average, 14.800 high score) and horizontal bar (14.258 average, 14.500 high score). His season-best all-around score of 86.100 was the top score of any Big Ten all-arounder. Following the season he was again named Big Ten Gymnast of the Year, joining Sam Mikulak as the only Michigan gymnast to win the award multiple times.^[27] During the 2022 Big Ten Tournament Championship, he won the all-around competition with a cumulative score of 85.350.^[28] He won a title on horizontal bar, scoring a 14.500. The horizontal bar win by Juda was the 15th in program history and the first since Sam Mikulak in 2013. He was also named Big Ten Gymnast of the Championships.^[29]

During the 2022 NCAA Men's Gymnastics Championship, Juda won the all-around with an 85.298, and vault individual titles, and helped Michigan place third in the team competition with a season-best 414.490. He also placed second on horizontal bar, fourth on parallel bars, and eighth on both floor exercise and still rings. He tied Mikulak's modern-era school record of six All-America honors.^[30]

2023

Juda missed the 2023 season due to injury. On April 13, 2023, he was named the Nissen-Emery Award winner.^[31]

Juda returned to competition in August at the Core Hydration Classic. He placed third in the all-around behind Asher Hong and Khoi Young. Additionally he placed third on vault and horizontal bar.^[32] He next competed at the Xfinity National Championships where he placed sixth in the all-around but won the national title on floor exercise.^[33] The following day he was named to the team to compete at the upcoming World Championships alongside Asher Hong, Khoi Young, Yul Moldauer, Fred Richard, and alternate Colt Walker.^[34]

At the World Championships Juda helped the USA qualify to the team final in second place. Individually he qualified for the vault and horizontal bar finals. During the team final he contributed scores on rings, vault, and horizontal bar toward the USA's third-place finish. In doing so, he helped the USA win their first team medal in nine years.^[35]

2024

During the 2024 NCAA Men's Gymnastics Championship, Juda won the floor individual title with a score of 14.800 and placed second on vault with a score of 15.133. He helped Michigan finish as runner-up in the team competition. This was Michigan's first floor title since Brian Winkler in 1992.^[36]

In June Juda competed at the U.S. Olympic Trials, where he placed fourth in the all-around with a score of 168.850. He also placed second on floor (28.850), third on pommel horse (28.300), fifth on horizontal bar (27.250), sixth on still rings (27.650) and thirteenth on parallel bars (27.900).^[37][38] On June 29, he was named to the U.S. Olympic Team to compete at the 2024 Olympic Games alongside Fred Richard, Brody Malone, Asher Hong, and Stephen Nedoroscik.^[39]

During qualification at the Olympic Games Juda qualified for the individual all-around final in 13th place. He competed in the lead-off spot for Team USA in five of the six events.^[40][41] In the team final, he competed on floor exercise, pommel horse, vault, and horizontal bar, contributing to the first Olympic team medal won by the men's team in sixteen years.^[42]

Competitive history

Year	Event	Team	AA	FX	PH	SR	VT	PB	HB
Junior
2016	J.O. National Championships (JE14)		5		24	11	5
2017	J.O. National Championships (JE15)				7			10
	U.S. National Championships			4	19		11
2018	U.S. National Championships		16	6	6		24	25	21
	Winter Cup		4		14				11
Senior
2019	U.S. National Championships		12	14	16	12	16	14
2020	Winter Cup		8	12	27	15		17	4
	Friendship & Solidarity Meet
2021	Winter Cup		6	12	14	8	19	4	12
	NCAA Championships		6	23		19	11	31	40
	Pan American Championships
	Olympic Trials		8	6	7	9	13	6	10
2022	Cairo World Cup						4	6
	NCAA Championships			8	17	8		4
2023	U.S. Classic			12	18	10		12
	U.S. National Championships		6		7	10		23	6
	World Championships						5		5
2024	NCAA Championships		4		37	6		10	34
	U.S. National Championships		6	5	6	9		13	14
	Olympic Trials		4			6	4	13	5
	Olympic Games		14

Awards and honors

Year	Award
2020	Big Ten Freshman of the Year
2021	Big Ten Gymnast of the Year
2022	Big Ten Gymnast of the Year
2023	Nissen-Emery Award

References

1. "JUDA Paul". Paris 2024 Olympics. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
2. "First-generation American Paul Juda talks family support, Michigan, and Olympics ahead of U.S. Championships". NBC Sports. August 23, 2023. Archived from the original on April 25, 2024. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
3. "Paul Juda". Michigan Wolverines. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
4. Kerr, Jon J. (September 14, 2016). "Stevenson student Paul Juda earns high marks as elite gymnast". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
5. "Men's field for 2017 P&G Championships features mixture of veterans, newcomers". USA Gymnastics. August 3, 2017. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
6. "USA's best gymnasts are heading to Boston's TD Garden for the 2018 U.S. Gymnastics Championships". USA Gymnastics. August 14, 2018. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
7. Kemps, Scott (July 8, 2019). "Trio of Wolverines Qualifies for U.S. Championships". Michigan Wolverines. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
8. Kemps, Scott (August 12, 2019). "Mikulak Wins Sixth US All-Around Title, Juda Named to Junior National Team". Michigan Wolverines. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
9. Kemps, Scott (February 21, 2020). "Bock, Juda Advance to Winter Cup Challenge Finals". Michigan Wolverines. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
10. Kemps, Scott (February 23, 2020). "Juda, Mikulak Earn National Team Spot as Winter Cup Concludes". Michigan Wolverines. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
11. Kagal, Abbas (October 12, 2021). "How Paul Juda continued to perfect his craft during COVID-19". The Michigan Daily. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
12. "Six U.S. athletes participate in Friendship and Solidarity friendly competition in Tokyo". USA Gymnastics. November 9, 2020. Archived from the original on May 1, 2021. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
13. Kemps, Scott (November 9, 2020). "Juda Competes in Friendship and Solidarity Event". Michigan Wolverines. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
14. "NCAA cancels remaining winter and spring championships due to coronavirus concerns". NCAA. March 13, 2020. Archived from the original on February 16, 2022. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
15. Kemps, Scott (May 14, 2020). "Juda, Golder, Lasker Earn Big Ten Gymnastics Honors". Michigan Wolverines. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
16. "Michigan and Minnesota Earn Men's Gymnastics Postseason Honors". Big Ten Conference. May 14, 2020. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
17. Kemps, Scott (February 24, 2021). "Bock, Juda to Compete in Winter Cup Challenge". Michigan Wolverines. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
18. Kemps, Scott (February 26, 2021). "Bock Captures All-Around Title at Winter Cup Challenge". Michigan Wolverines. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
19. Kemps, Scott (April 17, 2021). "U-M Earns 13 All-America Citations, Third-Place Team Finish at NCAA Finals". Michigan Wolverines. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
20. Kemps, Scott (March 29, 2021). "Juda Named Big Ten Conference Gymnast of the Year". Michigan Wolverines. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
21. Kemps, Scott (April 15, 2021). "Awards and Honors: Juda CGA MVP, U-M Coaches Earn Regional Nod". Michigan Wolverines. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
22. Kemps, Scott (May 19, 2021). "Bock, Juda Named to 2021 Senior Pan-Am Championships Team". Michigan Wolverines. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
23. Kemps, Scott (June 6, 2021). "Juda Earns Runner-Up All-Around Finish at Pan-Am Championships". Michigan Wolverines. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
24. "Juda finishes second all-around at 2021 Senior Pan American Championships, earns additional quota spot for U.S. men at Tokyo Olympic Games". USA Gymnastics. June 4, 2021. Archived from the original on June 8, 2021. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
25. Kemps, Scott (June 22, 2021). "Bock, Juda Set to Compete at US Olympic Trials". Michigan Wolverines. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
26. "Juda adds a silver medal on horizontal bar on final day of Cairo World Cup". USA Gymnastics. March 20, 2022. Archived from the original on March 22, 2022. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
27. Kemps, Scott (March 28, 2022). "Juda Repeats as Big Ten Gymnast of the Year". Michigan Wolverines. Archived from the original on March 28, 2022. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
28. Kemps, Scott (April 1, 2022). "Wolverines Secure Big Ten Team Championship, Juda Takes All-Around Glory". MGoBlue.com. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on April 2, 2022. Retrieved April 1, 2022.
29. Kemps, Scott (April 2, 2022). "Wolverine Trio Takes Big Ten Individual Titles, Xiao Named Big Ten Coach of the Year". MGoBlue.com. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on April 3, 2022. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
30. Kemps, Scott (April 19, 2022). "Juda Captures All-Around and Vault NCAA Titles, Leads Michigan to Third Place". MGoBlue.com. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on April 17, 2022. Retrieved April 16, 2022.
31. Kemps, Scott (April 13, 2023). "Juda Earns Nissen-Emery Award; Wolverines Take Home CGA Awards". Michigan Wolverines. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on April 14, 2023. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
32. "Hong brothers crowned as junior and senior men's all-around champions at Core Hydration Classic". USA Gymnastics. August 6, 2023. Archived from the original on August 11, 2023. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
33. "Hong rallies for U.S. men's title at Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships". USA Gymnastics. August 27, 2023. Archived from the original on August 28, 2023. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
34. "U.S. Senior Men's teams named for 2023 Artistic World Championships, Pan American Games". USA Gymnastics. August 27, 2023. Archived from the original on August 28, 2023. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
35. "U.S. men claim team bronze at World Championships". USA Gymnastics. October 3, 2023. Archived from the original on October 11, 2023. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
36. Kemps, Scott (April 20, 2024). "Juda Takes Floor Title, Michigan Earns NCAA Finals Runner-Up Finish". Michigan Wolverines. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on April 22, 2024. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
37. Peene, Sam (June 7, 2024). "2024 U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Trials: All Results". Olympics.com. Archived from the original on June 28, 2024. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
38. "2024 U.S. Olympic Trials - Men Day 2" (PDF). USA Gymnastics. June 29, 2024. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
39. "Frederick Richard, Brody Malone and more named to men's U.S. Olympic gymnastics team". NBC News. June 29, 2024. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
40. St. Clair, Stacy (July 27, 2024). "'Why can't that be me?' Chicago-area native Paul Juda shines in Olympic debut for Team USA gymnastics". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
41. Barton, Hanna (July 27, 2024). "Michigan Duo Frederick Richard and Paul Juda Lead the Way for the U.S. After Gymnastics Qualifications". teamusa.com. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
42. Liddy, Kaetlyn (July 29, 2024). "U.S. men's gymnastics team wins bronze, earning first Olympic team medal in 16 years". nbcnews.com. Retrieved July 29, 2024.

External links

• Paul Juda at the International Gymnastics Federation
• Paul Juda at USA Gymnastics
• Paul Juda at Olympics.com
• Paul Juda at Team USA