Deseret News archives: Vidmar, U.S. gymnasts make another Olympic miracle

A look back at local, national and world events through Deseret News archives.

When Olympic golden moments are told, what happened on July 31, 1984, is part of U.S. lore.

On this day in 1984, the American men’s team scored an emotional upset win over the world champion Chinese team in the combined event to take the gold medal at the Los Angeles Olympics.

The seven gymnasts — Peter Vidmar, Tim Daggett, Mitch Gaylord, Bart Conner, Scott Johnson and Jim Hartung — made history with the gold, marking the first time that the United States had won the men’s team gymnastics event at the Olympics.

The American squad enjoyed the advantage of competing at home. Three members of the team — Daggett, Gaylord and Vidmar — competed collegiately at UCLA, and the Olympic competition was held at UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion.

China had unseated the Soviet Union as the world champion and entered the Olympics as the gold medal favorite. The American squad, though, stayed with the Chinese at every step of the way. The Chinese had higher scores in the floor exercise, vault, and horizontal bars. The Americans had higher scores in the parallel bars, rings, and pommel horse.

Gaylord nailed a perfect 10 on the rings. Conner scored 10 on the parallel bars. The final rotation had the U.S. on the horizontal bars. Gaylord delivered a 9.95. Then Connor had a 9.90. Daggett posted another 10. Vidmar closed things out with a 9.95.

In the individual competition, Vidmar won silver in the all-around. Conner won gold, and Gaylord took bronze in the parallel bars. Vidmar won another gold in the pommel horse, whereas Daggett took bronze. Gaylord also won silver in the vault and bronze in the rings.

The team’s success was credited to their excellent performances in the team all-around event, which requires each team member to perform on all six apparatuses: floor exercise, pommel horse, rings, vault, parallel bars, and high bar.

After winning three medals, Vidmar has become a popular movitational speaker, went on to work in the U.S. Olympic movement for many years and has many ties to Utah and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He even shared a message in a fireside this week with other Latter-day Saint Olympians in Paris.

Here are some stories from Deseret News archives about the 1984 U.S. men’s gymnastics squad:

“ Vidmar still mining Olympic vein 20 years after golden moment ”

“ Peter Vidmar steps down as chief of mission for 2012 U.S. Olympic Team ”

“ Peter Vidmar strikes gold again — but this time it’s as a speaker ”

“ Beyond gymnastics with Peter Vidmar ”

“ 15 minutes more earns success, says Olympian Peter Vidmar ”

“ Former Olympian travels to Paris to join Bishop Caussé, other Latter-day Saints for Olympics devotional ”