19-year-old Stoughton gymnast headed to the Olympics talks how his life has changed

Frederick Richard, who hails from Massachusetts, has already broken barriers in the world of gymnastics. Now, he's hoping to add Olympic medalist to his resume.

After Richard became the first American man to win a world gymnastics championship all-around medal in 13 years in the fall, his life changed.

NBC10 Boston spoke with Richard and his parents as the excitement builds toward this summer.

“A lot of interviews. A couple brand deals have been signed and in the works. So, those two," he shared. "When it comes to the gym I’m just pushing upgrades now, trying to get those Olympic routines ready."

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Sights are set on the summer's Olympic Games in Paris, France, for the 19-year-old who got his start in Stoughton, thanks to his parents.

"From very early on he was doing handstands. I mean he was literally doing it in his crib at less than two,” his mom said.

“What my coach Tom did was he knew that I had what it took and he knew we needed to get the right resources for me to have that chance. On Saturdays he would drive me himself to other gyms in Massachusetts, ones with better equipment,” Richard said.

“The gym was walking distance from our house and it allowed us to put him in very early when we recognized what he was doing but also with the aim of not having him kill himself, right? We wanted him to do it in a safe place,” his mom said.

From Massachusetts to the University of Michigan, and now an Olympic athlete -- Richard feels his purpose is to grow and diversify the sport.

"I’ve realized a lot of Black kids are looking up to me nowadays and I think it’s amazing to see that I’m that person leading the chase," he said.

One way he's grown the sport, TikTok -- where he'll post videos with Simone Biles, or rapping with Snoop Dogg, to more than 640,000 of his followers.

“It goes back to me kind of feeling what my purpose is in the sport. It is to grow the sport. And I think TikTok is that platform that gave me that opportunity," he said.

He's the youngest American man to win an all-around medal, with roots in Stoughton to thank.

“The school and his coach and I would say the community has always been very proud of Frederick and supporting him in every way they can," his mom said.

And his parents say, he's just getting started.

“To him this is just the beginning and not just for him but as a family, we groomed him to be that way,” his dad said.