Nebraska Coach Jim Hartung, Olympic Gold Medalist, Dies at 65

Jim Hartung, a former U.S. Olympic gold medalist and longtime assistant gymnastics coach at the University of Nebraska, died on Saturday night at the age of 65, the school's athletic department announced on Monday.

Hartung, an Omaha native, left an indelible mark on gymnastics through his achievements as an athlete and coach. During his college career with the Nebraska Cornhuskers from 1979 to 1982, he earned 22 All-American honors and seven NCAA individual titles, including two all-around championships in 1981 and 1982. He played a key role in leading the team to four consecutive national titles during that period, a streak that highlighted the program's dominance. In 1982, Hartung became Nebraska's first recipient of the Nissen-Emery Award, recognizing the nation's top senior male collegiate gymnast.

His international career further solidified his legacy. Selected for the 1980 U.S. Olympic team, Hartung was unable to compete due to the American boycott of the Moscow Games. He returned in 1984 for the Los Angeles Olympics, where he contributed to the U.S. men's team's only gold medal in the team event and qualified for the vault final with a score of 9.9. Hartung also...