Episode
He Left Home at 11 to Chase Gymnastics - Then Won a National Title | A2
- Podcast
- Champ Media
- Published
- Jul 28, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 1922
- Processing state
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Summary
Michigan gymnast and NCAA national champion Solen Chiodi joins Angel Randalle on A2 to tell the remarkable story behind his journey from Marquette, Michigan, to the University of Michigan.At just 11 years old, Chiodi realized he had outgrown the gymnastics opportunities available in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. His solution? Tell his parents he was moving to Minnesota to live with his grandparents and pursue his dream. He packed his things, made his case and began a journey that would eventually take him to Team USA and a national championship at Michigan.Chiodi opens up about growing up on a farm near Lake Superior, the sacrifices his family made for his gymnastics career, the inspiration he gets from his younger sister Ida, and why the mental side of gymnastics can be even harder than the physical side.He also takes us inside Michigan’s national championship run, his relationship with teammates like Fred Richard, overcoming a year-long mental block, building his social media following, navigating NIL opportunities and the hilarious 10-second video that unexpectedly reached around one million views.Plus, Solen puts his Michigan teammates on the spot in rapid fire, pitches his dream partnership to Synergy Kombucha and shares the advice he would give the 11-year-old version of himself who risked everything to chase his dream.