Kurt Thomas (gymnast)

Kurt Thomas
Full nameKurt Bilteaux Thomas
Country representedUnited States
Born(1956-03-29)March 29, 1956
Hollywood, Florida, U.S.
DiedJune 5, 2020(2020-06-05) (aged 64)
Texas, U.S.
Height165 cm (5 ft 5 in)
Weight58 kg (128 lb)
DisciplineMen's artistic gymnastics
College teamIndiana State Sycamores
Eponymous skillsThomas (pommel horse)
Thomas (floor)
Medal record
Representing  United States
Men's artistic gymnastics
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
World Championships 3 3 1
Pan American Games 1 2 2
Total 4 5 3
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1978 Strasbourg Floor
Gold medal – first place 1979 Fort Worth Floor
Gold medal – first place 1979 Fort Worth Horizontal bar
Silver medal – second place 1979 Fort Worth All-around
Silver medal – second place 1979 Fort Worth Pommel horse
Silver medal – second place 1979 Fort Worth Parallel bars
Bronze medal – third place 1979 Fort Worth Team
Pan American Games
Gold medal – first place 1975 Mexico City Team
Silver medal – second place 1975 Mexico City Pommel horse
Silver medal – second place 1975 Mexico City Vault
Bronze medal – third place 1975 Mexico City All-around
Bronze medal – third place 1975 Mexico City Horizontal bar

Kurt Bilteaux Thomas (March 29, 1956 – June 5, 2020) was an American Olympic gymnast and part-time actor. He was a member of the United States men's national artistic gymnastics team and in 1978 he became the first American male gymnast to win a gold medal at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships.[1] In 1979, he won six medals at the world championship, setting the record for most medals won at a single world championship by an American gymnast, a feat matched only by Simone Biles in 2018. He competed in the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal.[1] Thomas was favored to win a medal at the 1980 Summer Olympics but was unable to compete due to the USA boycott of the 1980 Olympic Games.[2]

  1. ^ a b "Kurt Thomas, first U.S. man to win a world gymnastics title, dies at 64". ESPN. ESPN News Services. 6 June 2020. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  2. ^ Goldstein, Richard (2020-06-07). "Kurt Thomas, Trailblazing Champion Gymnast, Dies at 64". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-08-01.