Wiskus was born in Waconia, Minnesota, on October 1, 1998, to Tammy and Mike Wiskus. His sister, Annabelle, has performed with the Minnesota Association of Dance Teams.[2]
In 2002, Wiskus's mother signed him up for gymnastics classes to develop his coordination and motor skills.[3][2] He began competing three years later at age seven.[2] He attended Mound Westonka High School before enrolling at the University of Minnesota to pursue gymnastics.[2]
Gymnastics career
2014–15
Wiskus competed at his first elite level National Championships in 2014 and finished 11th in the all-around and fourth on the floor exercise.[4] At the 2015 National Championships Wiskus placed second in the all-around behind Davis Grooms. Additionally, he placed first on rings, second on floor exercise, and third on parallel bars.[5] Wiskus was later selected to represent the USA at the Olympic Hopes Cup in Liberec.[6] While there Wiskus helped the USA placed third and individually he placed third in the all-around.[7]
2016
In early 2016 Wiskus competed at the RD761 International Junior Team Cup where he helped his team finish third.[8] At the 2016 National Championships Wiskus won his first national all-around title. He also won gold on four apparatuses (floor exercise, vault, parallel bars, and horizontal bars) and silver on the pommel horse and rings.[9]
2017–18
Wiskus turned senior in 2017. He competed at the 2017 Winter Cup and finished 11th in the all-around. He next competed at the University of Calgary International Cup where he helped the USA finish second behind China. Individually he won gold in the all-around.[10] At the 2017 U.S. National Championships Wiskus finished 13th in the all-around.[11]
Wiskus competed at the Winter Cup Challenge and placed 27th in the all-around.[14] At the NCAA National Championships Wiskus placed second in the all-around behind Brody Malone. He won his first NCAA title on the parallel bars and placed sixth on vault and ninth on horizontal bar.[15]
Wiskus returned to competition at the 2021 Winter Cup where he placed fourth in the all-around but won gold on floor exercise.[22] At the NCAA Championships Wiskus once again place second in the all-around behind Brody Malone. However he placed first on both rings and parallel bars and placed second on floor exercise and horizontal bar.[23] Wiskus was awarded the 2021 Nissen Emery Award, the highest honor in college men's gymnastics for a senior gymnast.[2][24]
Wiskus ended his collegiate career as a two-time Big Ten Conference Gymnast of the Year and the 2020 College Gymnastics Association Most Valuable Player.[2] When the University of Minnesota announced they would discontinue their gymnastics program after the 2020–2021 school year, Wiskus moved to Colorado to train at the US Olympic & Paralympic Training Center to prepare for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.[2]
At the Olympic Gamesqualification, Wiskus finished 21st in the all-around; however, he did not advance to the finals due to two-per-country limitations as Malone and Mikulak placed higher. Additionally, he finished ninth on floor exercise and was the first reserve for the final. During the team final Wiskus helped the United States place fifth.[28]
2022
Wiskus was scheduled to compete at the 2022 Winter Cup but had to withdraw due to a knee injury.[29] In June Wiskus was selected to represent the United States at the Pan American Championships alongside Riley Loos, Brody Malone, Yul Moldauer, and Colt Walker.[30] On the first day of competition Wiskus competed on all six events to help qualify the United States in first place to the team final.[31] During the team final he only competed on parallel bars and horizontal bar to help the USA win gold ahead of the reigning team champion Brazil.[32]
In August Wiskus competed at the U.S. National Championships where he finished seventh in the all-around. Additionally he placed third on horizontal bar.[33]
2023
Wiskus was selected to represent the United States at the Pan American Championships alongside Yul Moldauer, Curran Phillips, Khoi Young, and Taylor Christopulos. On the first day of competition, Wiskus helped the USA qualify for the team final. Individually he won silver in the all-around and on parallel bars and bronze in floor exercise. On the final day of competition Wiskus helped the USA win their second consecutive team title.[34]
In June, Wiskus competed at the U.S. Olympic Trials, where he placed third all-around (169.65),[39] first on floor (28.95), sixth on pommel horse (27.25), fifth on rings (28.10), seventh on parallel bars (29.00), and second on horizontal bar (27.45).[40] On June 29, he was named as an alternate to the U.S. Olympic Team for the 2024 Summer Olympics.[41] In the fall Wiskus participated in the Gold Over America Tour.[42]
In popular culture
Wiskus is the subject of the documentary film Losing Grip.[43]
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