Ryu was born in 2002 in Seoul.[2] When he was eight years old, he stayed after school to watch his school's gymnastics practices. His father, a former football player, did not want him to become an athlete and would not let him join the team.[3] He began practicing gymnastics alone for four years, and the team coach eventually contacted and convinced his parents to let him join the team.[4]
In 2020, Ryu won the gold medal in the floor exercise at the Melbourne World Cup.[9] Then at the Baku World Cup, he finished fourth on the floor exercise during the qualification round.[10] However, the event finals were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[11]
Ryu won the all-around competition at South Korea's Olympic Trials and was selected to represent South Korea at the 2020 Summer Olympics alongside Kim Han-sol, Lee Jun-ho, and Yang Hak-seon.[12] At the Olympic Games, the team placed 11th during the qualification round.[13] Individually, Ryu qualified for the floor exercise final in third place. During the final, he competed with the highest difficulty score in the field, but mistakes on the landings caused him to finish in fourth place.[14] After the Olympic Games, he competed at the World Championships and once again finished fourth on the floor exercise.[15]
Ryu began the 2022 season with a fifth-place finish on the floor exercise at the Doha World Cup.[16] Then at the Asian Championships, he helped the South Korean team place fourth, and he placed sixth in the all-around.[17] In the event finals, he placed fifth on the floor exercise and seventh on the rings and horizontal bar.[18] He then competed at the 2022 World Championships where the South Korean team placed eighth in the team final.[19] He qualified for the all-around final, but he chose to withdraw to focus on the event finals.[20] Individually, he finished sixth in the floor exercise final.[21]
At the 2023 Asian Championships, Ryu placed fourth with the South Korean team.[22] Individually, he finished seventh in the all-around and floor exercise and fourth on the parallel bars.[23] He then represented South Korea at the 2021 Summer World University Games, which were held in 2023 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and he helped the team win the bronze medal.[24] Individually, he finished seventh in the all-around,[25] fifth on the parallel bars, and won the bronze medal on the floor exercise.[26] During the 2023 World Championships, Ryu fractured his left clavicle.[4] The South Korean team finished 13th during the qualification round and did not qualify as a full team for the 2024 Olympic Games.[27][28]
Ryu registered for the 2024 FIG World Cup series to earn an individual berth for the 2024 Olympic Games, despite not being fully recovered from his injury.[4] In the first event in Cairo, he won the gold medal on the floor exercise.[29] Then at the Cottbus World Cup, he won the bronze medal behind Harry Hepworth and Artem Dolgopyat.[30] Although he only finished fifth in Baku, he mathematically secured an Olympic berth prior to the final event in Doha.[31][28] His Olympic qualification was officially confirmed after the Doha World Cup,[32] and he was the overall floor exercise champion of the World Cup series.[33]
^Kang, Dong-woong (7 April 2021). "체조에 홀린8세 꼬마는 '100년 만의 천재'로 컸다" [An 8-year-old kid obsessed with gymnastics grew up to be the ‘first genius in 100 years’]. The Dong-a Ilbo (in Korean). Retrieved 16 May 2024.
^Park, Geun-hyung (14 June 2021). "2021년도 남자 기계체조 올림픽대표 최종선발전 종료‥류성현1위!" [The final selection for the 2021 men's gymnastics Olympic team is over... Ryu Seong-hyun, 1st place!]. EduYonhap (in Korean). Retrieved 15 May 2024.
^ abKwon, Jong-oh (12 March 2024). "체조 류성현, 파리 올림픽 남자 마루운동 출전권 획득" [Gymnast Ryu Seong-hyun wins men's floor exercise qualification at Paris Olympics]. SBS News (in Korean). Retrieved 16 May 2024.
South Korea
Ángel Barajas (COL)
