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Oklahoma gymnastics and Olympic legend Bart Conner says, "I try to live my life by the Olympic values where we have learned to be whole in mind, body and spirit." Bart Conner, 1984 Olympic Champion, University of Oklahoma graduate and partner at the Bart Conner Gymnastics Academy (BCGA) with his college and Olympic coach, Paul Ziert.
The 1984 gold medal Olympic team was what inspired me to start training in gymnastics, and I had a poster of Bart Conner on my bedroom wall. Unbeknownst to me, my wife, whom I would not meet for another decade, had a poster of another Olympic athlete, Nadia Comeneci, on the wall of her bedroom in Namibia, Africa.
Bart and Nadia married, now. My wife and I both coached in their gym, and our twin daughters trained there. Bart and Nadia had two of their classic cars parked in our garage while I spotted my daughters doing backflips, Maddie with my right arm and Josie with my left.
Bart and Paul are just two of the many athletes and coaches to go to the Olympics from the University of Oklahoma. I did my Master's there in professional writing, and while walking around that beautiful campus, I was always struck by the proliferation of world class athletes walking around, worried about homework.
University of Oklahoma athletes excel in football, softball, wrestling, swimming, track and field and many other sports. Their women's gymnastics team has won the last three national championships, but it is Yul Moldauer who represents the university gymnastics legacy in the Paris Olympics.
The 18 time All-American will be making his second Olympic appearance. He came home empty handed from Tokyo 2020 Olympics, but he is optimistic for 2024.
He says there are only six gymnasts representing the United States in the Paris Olympics, and he wants to represent his country with honor and respect. He carries the banner for the University of Oklahoma along with four other Olympic athletes in Paris. Nicole Mendes and Sydney Romero will represent Mexico on their softball team, while fellow Mexican Abraham Ancer will play on the Olympic golf team. Former track star, Ama Pipi, will represent Great Britain, and Yul Moldauer rounds out the list in Olympic gymnastics.
Yul has spent time training at the BCGA, and he has much in common with Bart. First of all, both Olympic athletes empasize that the best way to get better is to love what you are doing. They also both say that in order to excel in their sport, they must find balance.
Yul talks about the importance of his music, friends and family. He believes there is more to life than gymnastics. This is perhaps a fair interpretation of Bart's Olympic values of mind, body and spirit. I think Bart was a good choice to hang on my wall, as a future generation posts Yul on theirs.
University of Oklahoma Olympic Athletes
According to Soonersports, "a total of 82 current or former Sooners (77 athletes and five head coaches) from 11 different countries have participated in the Olympics. The University of Oklahoma has had at least one representative in each of the last 21 Summer Olympics."
1924 - Paris Olympics
- Guy Lookabaugh - wrestled at 158.5 and received 4th place
- Orion Stuteville - wrestling participant
1928 - Amsterdam
- Clarence Berryman - wrestled at 145 and received 6th place
- George Rule - wrestling participant
- Charles Strack - wrestling participant
- Earl McCready - wrestling participant for Team Canada at Heavyweight
1932 - Los Angeles
- Bobby Pearce - won gold medal at 123 in wrestling
- Jack VanBebber - won gold medal at 158.5 in wrestling
- Melvin Clodfelter - wrestling participant at 145
- Conrald Caldwell - wrestling participant
1936 - Berlin
- Frank Lewis - won gold medal at 158.5 in wrestling
- Ross Flood - won silver medal at 123 in wrestling
- Roy Dunn - wrestling participant at Heavyweight
- Fred Parkey - wrestling participant
- Harley Strong - wrestling participant at 145
- George Chiga - wrestling participant for Team Canada at Heavyweight
- Edward Clark Gallagher - honorary coach
- Clarence Gallagher - trainer
1948 - London
- Bob Kurland - won gold medal as member of USA Basketball Team
- Jesse Renick - won gold medal as member of USA Basketball Team
- Hal Moore - wrestled at 136.5 and received 6th place
- William Jernigan - wrestling participant at 114.5
- Richard Hutton - wrestling participant at Heavyweight
- Art Griffith - coached the USA Wrestling Team
- Cliff Keen - manager for USA Wrestling Team
1952 - Helsinki
- Bob Kurland - won gold medal as a member of USA Basketball Team
- J.W. Mashburn - participated in track and field
- Raymond Swartz - coached the USA Wrestling Team
- Buel Patterson - manager for USA Wrestling Team
1956 - Melbourne
- J.W. Mashburn - won gold medal in the 1600 meter relay
- Myron Roderick - wrestled at 136.5 and received 4th place
- Dick Beattie - wrestling participant at 160.5
- Dr. James Graham - track and field team (pole vault)
1960 - Rome
- Doug Blubaugh - won gold medal in wrestling at 160.5
- Shelby Wilson - won gold medal in wrestling at 147.5
1964 - Tokyo
- Yojiro Uetake - won gold medal in wrestling at 125.5
- Bobby Douglas - wrestled at 138.5 and received 4th place
- Henry Iba - coached the USA Basketball Team
- Rex Perry - coached the USA Wrestling Team
- Myron Roderick - assistant coach for the USA Wrestling Team
- Fendley Collins - manager for the USA Wrestling Team
1968 - Mexico City
- Yojiro Uetake - won gold medal in wrestling at 125.5
- James King - won gold medal as member of USA Basketball Team
- Bobby Douglas - wrestling participant at 138.5
- Henry Iba - coached the USA Basketball Team
- Dr. Donald Cooper - physician for the USA Basketball Team
- Tom Von Ruden - 1,500m, finished ninth
1972 - Munich
- Gene Davis - wrestling participant at 136.5
- J. Robinson - Greco-Roman wrestling participant at 180.5
- Harry Geris - wrestled for Team Canada at Heavyweight
- Henry Iba - coached the USA Basketball Team
1976 - Montreal
- Gene Davis - won bronze medal in wrestling at 136.5
- Jimmy Jackson - wrestling participant at Heavyweight
- Harry Geris - wrestled for Team Canada at Heavyweight
- Chris McCubbins - participated for Team Canada in track and field
1984 - Los Angeles
- Gary Green - won gold medal as member of USA Baseball Team
- Bruce Baumgartner, grad student and assistant coach - won gold medal in wrestling
- Lee Roy Smith - wrestling participant at 136.5
- Henry Iba - coach of USA Basketball Team
- Bill McDaniel - doctor for USA Basketball Team
1988 - Seoul
- John Smith - won gold medal in wrestling at 136.5
- Kenny Monday - won gold medal in wrestling at 163
- Robin Ventura - won gold medal as member of USA Baseball Team
- Christine McMiken - participated in track and field for New Zealand
- Joe Seay - assistant coach for USA Wrestling Team
1992 - Barcelona
- John Smith - won gold medal in wrestling at 136.5
- Kenny Monday - won silver medal in wrestling at 163
- Kendall Cross - wrestling participant at 125.5
- Lee Roy Smith - coach of the USA Wrestling Team
- Bobby Douglas - coach of the USA Wrestling Team
1996 - Atlanta
- Michele Mary Smith - won gold medal as member of USA Softball Team
- Kendall Cross - won gold medal in wrestling at 125.5
- Kenny Monday - wrestled at 163 and received 6th place
2000 - Sydney
- Michele Mary Smith - won gold medal as member of USA Softball Team
- John Smith - coach of the USA Wrestling Team
2004 - Athens
- Daniel Cormier - wrestled
- Eric Guerrero - wrestled
- Jamill Kelly - won silver medal in wrestling
- Mindaugas Pukstas - participated for Lithuania in the marathon
2008 - Beijing
- Melanie Roche - Won Bronze Medal in Softball competing for Australia
- Lauren Bay - Competed for Canada in Softball
- Daniel Cormier - Wrestling
- Steve Mocco - Advanced to the Quarterfinals in Wrestling
2012 - London
- Coleman Scott - Won Bronze Medal in Wrestling at 60 kg
- John Smith - Coached Team USA Wrestling
2016 - Rio de Janeiro
- Rickie Fowler - Golf
- Caroline Masson - Competed for Germany in Golf
- Pernilla Lindberg - Competed for Sweden in Golf
- Shadrack Kipchirchir - Men's 10,000m
- Ingeborg Loevnes - Competed for Norway in Women's 3000m Steeplechase
- Nick Miller - Competed for Great Britain in Men's Hammer Throw
- Tom Farrell - Competed for Great Britain in Men's 5000m
- John Smith was a Wrestling TV analyst during the Games
2016 - Rio de Janeiro Paralympics
- Cassie Mitchell - Won Silver Medal in discus throw and Bronze Medal in club throw
2020 - Tokyo
- Adrianna Franch - Won Bronze Medal with USA Women's Soccer Team
- Caroline Masson - Competed for Germany in Golf
- Alex Norén - Competed for Sweden in Golf
- Viktor Hovland - Competed for Norway in Golf
- Nick Miller - Competed for Great Britain in Men's Hammer Throw and finished sixth
- Lauren Bay-Regula - Won Bronze Medal with Canadian Softball Team
- John Smith and Michele Smith (Softball) were TV analysts during the Games
