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The greatest Olympic athlete from every U.S. state

By Adam Strangis

16th October 1964: Alfred A Oerter, American winner of the Gold Medal in the Tokyo Olympics 1964 for Discus throwing. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images)
16th October 1964: Alfred A Oerter, American winner of the Gold Medal in the Tokyo Olympics 1964 for Discus throwing. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images) /
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Nebraska: Jim Hartung

Sport: Gymnastics

Olympics: Los Angeles 1984

The career of Jim Hartung might have been quite different had the United States not boycotted the 1980 Games in Moscow, Russia. Since those Games took place at the height of the Cold War, the United States refused to participate. A total of 461 athletes were unable to take part of their lifelong dream and were later awarded a Congressional Gold Medal. Even though Hartung was unable to participate in 1980, he didn’t let that bother his career at the University of Nebraska from 1979 through 1982.

During his time at the University, he was a member of four straight national champion teams. Hartung personally was the all-around NCAA Champion in 1980 and 1981 and capped his career by winning the Nissen Award. This is the equivalent of winning the Heisman Trophy in college football. One of his Hartung’s best disciplines was the apparatus. He took home five gold medals in NCAA competition and added another 13 golds in apparatus during his career in the USA Gymnastics National Championships. In 1979, Hartung won a bronze medal as a member of the US National team in the World Championships. He was also a member of that team in 1981 and 1983, even though they didn’t medal.

All of the success Hartung saw in college and in the international competition had him ready for his chance at glory in the 1984 Games. He and his teammates won the gold in the team competition and Hartung has since been inducted into a multitude of Hall of Fames, including the U.S. Olympic, U.S. Gymnastics, and Nebraska. He remains one of the more accomplished male gymnasts in United States history.

Honorable Mention: Julie Vollertsen, volleyball in Los Angeles 1984

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