The first US male gymnast to win a world championship gold medal, Kurt Thomas had died at 64. He had a stroke on May 24, caused by a tear of the basilar artery in the brain stem.
“Yesterday, I lost my universe, my best friend, and my soulmate of 24 years. Kurt lived his life to the extreme, and I will be forever honored to be his wife,” wife Beckie Thomas told International Gymnast Magazine.
After competing in the 1976 Montreal Olympics, Thomas won the floor exercise in the 1978 world championships in Strasbourg, France, for the first U.S. men’s title. In the 1979 worlds in Fort Worth, Texas, he successfully defended the floor exercise title and won the horizontal bar.
Olympic teammate Bart Conner speaking to International Gymnast Magazine said he got completely devastated to hear the demise of the skilled gymnast.Kurt was a fierce rival, who went on to become a cherished friend. My heart is breaking for his wife, Beckie, his children, Hunter, Kassidy and Kurt, as well as the entire gymnastics community, who lost a true pioneer today. has died. He was 64. Thomas’ family said he died Friday. He had a stroke May 24, caused by a tear of the basilar artery in the brain stem.
After competing in the 1976 Montreal Olympics, Thomas won the floor exercise in the 1978 world championships in Strasbourg, France, for the first U.S. men’s title. In the 1979 worlds in Fort Worth, Texas, he successfully defended the floor exercise title and won the horizontal bar.
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