1984 Olympic Champion Bart Conner is the only American male gymnast to win gold medals at every level of national and international competition. Conner has been a USA Champion, NCAA Champion, Pan-American Games Champion, World Champion, World Cup Champion and an Olympic Champion.
Conner was a member of the U.S. Olympic teams in 1976, 1980 and 1984. It was at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics where he made a dramatic comeback from his second torn biceps injury to win two gold medals, one as a member of the U.S. team. Conner earned his second gold with a score of perfect 10 on the parallel bars.
The Illinois native's interest in gymnastics began in grade school gym class where he excelled at acrobatic moves. As a child he participated in many sports, but at every opportunity, Conner could be seen trying handstands. By the time he was a teenager, he had a set of parallel bars in his backyard and a pommel horse in his basement.
In the fall of 1976, Conner moved to Norman, Okla. to attend the University of Oklahoma, and to be coached by Paul Ziert. While at OU, Conner earned 14 NCAA All-America honors and led his team to two national titles.
After graduating with a degree in Journalism in 1984, Conner went into business with Ziert. Today, they own several gymnastics related business interests, including the Bart Conner Gymnastics Academy, where more than 1,000 gymnasts train at every level, from beginning motor skill development to elite athletes aiming for college scholarships, and spots of the U.S. national team.
In 1992, Conner and Ziert took over International GYMNAST magazine, the premier magazine for the sport of gymnastics. 2006 marked the 50th anniversary of IG, which is sent 10 times a year to more than 15,000 serious gymnastics enthusiasts in 70 countries.
In 1996, Ziert and Conner formed Grips, Etc., a gymnastics supply company. That same year they opened up a new office building and factory in Norman to produce gymnastics grips, t-shirts, shoes and more.
Conner still enjoys high visibility as a TV color commentator and public speaker. He has worked as an expert announcer for every major television network. Conner's production company, Perfect 10 Productions, has produced gymnastics TV shows for ESPN, Fox Sports Net, Oxygen TV, and the World Championship Sports Network (WCSN).
Conner has appeared in television and feature films, including BMX cult classic "RAD" (1986), "Peaceful Warrior" (2006) and "Stick It" (2006).
In 1996, Conner married Romanian Olympic champion Nadia Comaneci in a lavish state wedding in Bucharest, Romania. Today, Conner and Comaneci are involved in several charities including the Executive Board of Special Olympics International, and the Board of Directors of the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
In 1991, Conner was inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame, and in 1997, he was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame. In 2006, Conner's Olympic Gold medal winning team was inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame.
Along with some of their fellow Olympic medalists, Conner and Comaneci contributed a chapter to an inspirational book called "Awaken the Olympian Within."
On June 3, 2006, Conner and Comaneci welcomed their son, Dylan Paul Conner, into the world. Dylan, who was born a few weeks early, came into the world at 4 lbs. 10 oz., and 17 and 1/2 inches long at birth, and is now thriving.
Today, Conner and Comaneci continue to travel the world delivering inspirational speeches, as well as promoting charities, gymnastics, fitness and healthy lifestyles.
