Indiana State University Athletics

Kurt Thomas won five individual NCAA championships in men's gymnastics at Indiana State University and led the Sycamores to the 1977 National Championship during his storied Sycamore career.

Thomas was a world champion and the first American in 46 years to win a medal in international gymnastics competition. His five individual NCAA championships included the parallel bars and all-around in 1977 and parallel bars, horizontal bar and the all-around in 1979.

Thomas earned All-America honors 13 times in his Sycamore career and was the James E. Sullivan award winner in 1979 for the nation's top amateur athlete.

He was inducted into the Indiana State Athletics Hall of Fame in 1999, the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 2003 and the Missouri Valley Conference Hall of Fame in 2010.

Thomas was known for his original and daring skills, including the "Thomas Flair" on pommel horse and the "Thomas Salto" on floor exercise. He won eight medals, three of them gold, at the 1978 and 1979 World Championships. 

At the 1978 World Championships in Strasbourg, France, Thomas excelled in the floor exercise to win the first world championship gold medal in U.S. men's gymnastics.

Thomas competed as a member of the U.S. team at the 1975 Pan American Games and the 1976 Olympics. Thomas turned pro following the USA boycott of the 1980 Olympics, and went on to perform for many years in professional shows and starred in the 1985 movie Gymkata. 

Thomas worked as a TV analyst for ABC Sports during the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. With professionals allowed in the Olympics in 1992, Thomas qualified for the 1992 U.S. Olympic Trials.

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• NCAA National Champion – parallel bars and All-Around (1977, 1979) 

• NCAA Champion – horizontal bar (1979) 

• Member of the National Championship Team (1977) 

• 13-time NCAA All-American 

• James E. Sullivan Award (1979) 

• Nissen Award (1979) 

• US Olympic Team member (1976) 

• Gold Medal – floor exercise World Championships (1978) 

• Six Medals in 1979 World Championships (2 gold, 3 silver, 1 bronze) 

• USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame (1990) 

• Inducted into Hall of Fame January 22, 1999 

• Inducted into Missouri Valley Conference Hall of Fame 2011