When Oklahoma men’s gymnastics coach Mark Williams was recruiting Jonathan Horton, the conversations usually went beyond what the gifted gymnast could do in college.
“I told his dad (Robert) I thought he could help us win some national championships,” Williams recalled Thursday. “I also thought he was good enough to make the Olympic team.”
Turns out Williams right on both calls.
Horton, who won six individual national titles during his Sooner career and helped lead OU to three team crowns in four years, earned a spot on the U.S. Olympic team after putting together the top overall score and performance in front of the selection committee at last weekend’s Olympic Trials in Philadelphia.
He is the second OU gymnast to be named to Olympic team, following Bart Connor in 1984.
Horton wasn’t born until two years after Connor helped the U.S. win gold in Los Angeles, but his Olympic dreams have burned from a very young age.
He started in the sport when he was four and passion grew along with his talent. By the time the Houston native watched the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta he knew it was something he wanted to be part of.
“Seeing the success those people had and the way people looked at them, the way I looked at them, I realized this is what I want to do,” Horton said. “I wanted to make the Olympic Games.”
Horton was back at OU’s Sam Viersen Gymnastics Center Thursday to help out with the Sooners’ gymnastics camp and meet with the media for the first time since nailing down a spot on the team.
It will be whirlwind month for Horton. The former Sooner will train in Norman before a 10-day session at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs July 13. The team will depart for Beijing July 29.
Celebrations will have to wait.
“There isn’t going to be a lot of off time between now and China,” Horton said. “What little I get I’m going to spend at home resting. Don’t expect to see me out very much. The most important things to me are: Staying healthy, eating right and sleeping right.”
That might be hard to do if Thursday was any indication. Kids lined up throughout OU’s gymnastics center to get autographs and have their picture taken with Horton.
As far as the gymnastics world goes, he’s now a star attraction.
“I feel like a rock star,” Horton said. “I’ve had so many people come up to me and ask me for my autograph and had so many people call me every day. It’s really starting to sink in that I’m an Olympian and I’m going to represent the United States of America. I get to represent the greatest country in the world at the greatest stage in the world. It’s an incredible feeling. It’s surreal.”
Just imagine what it would feel like with some success in Beijing. Horton will be one of the pillars of the U.S. team, along with defending world champion Paul Hamm.
Big things are expected from the 22-year-old Horton.
“I have these visions of standing on top of the podium and listening to the national anthem with a gold medal wrapped around my neck,” Horton said. “I see myself like that. But my attitude is: I just want to go have fun. I know if I have fun and enjoy the competition, all those things will come after that.”
John Shinn
366-3536
jshinn@normantranscript.com
OU Sports
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Horton living the dream
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