S TAR ARC
ave you ever wondered what happened to
u.s.
H
TIM LAFLEUR
gymnastics stars of the past? USA Gymnastics thought it would be interesting to contact former national team members to catch up with their lives after gymnastics.
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KATHY
JOHNSON Kathy Johnson captured the hearts of millions of Americans at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles when she won the bronze medal on the balance beam and helped the U.s.'s women's team win the silver medal. A two-time Olympian, Johnson chose to followup her sports career with commentating for various television networks on gymnastics competitions. She was approached during training in Atlanta in 1982 to do the color commentary for a local junior meet and since that moment, her career has skyrocketed, working with CBS, NBC, TBS and ESPN covering gymnastics across the country. OnMay 1,1991, Kathy joined the ABC Sports crew as an expert analyst for network and cable coverage of gymnastics-her most recent assignment was at the 1991 World Gymnastics Championships in Indianapolis. 'Tm working for ABC Sports covering gymnastics, but I have also branched out into rollerblading coverage," said Johnson. , 984 Olympian, Kathy Johnson.
Not only does Johnson commentate for television, she also works closely with Olympic sponsors Xerox and Nuprin, traveling as a corporate spokesperson and taking part in many charity events, as well. Although Kathy is very busy with her commentating and involvement with Olympic sponsors, she still finds time to do some gymnastics clinics.
Tim Lafleur was an accomplished member of the National Team from 1977 through 1980. The University of Minnesota alumnus was the recipient of the 1978 Nissen Award-given to the best male collegiate gymnast in the nation. Lafleur was the allaround champion for the Big Ten in 1976, 1977, and 1978. Some of his international experience included winning the all-around title at the 1979 Hungarian Invitational and contributing to the bronze medal performance of the U.S. men's team at the 1979 World Championships. His past record is an accomplishment to be remembered and Lafleur says gymnastics played a large role in his success personally, and in the business world.
"I feel gymnastics gave me self confidence, a good work ethic and an understanding of competition which has been of great assistance in the business world." Currently, Lafleur is the sales manger for The AllenBradley Company. He is responsible for working with manufacturing companies in the area of factory automation including computers, robotics and electrical controls.
Tim Lafleur and family
Besides his busy work schedule, Tim and his wife, Randi, raise their three children, Alex, Jackie and Adam, in a northern suburb of Minneapolis. Since retiring from competition, Lafleur has continued to judge gymnastics on both the university and national levels.
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Look for the "Star Search" section in upcoming editions of USA GYMNASTICS We'll keep you updated on gymnastics stars from the past as it is reported to us. If you ever wondered about anyone in particular, please drop us a letter with your request and we'll try to locate them and update you on their whereabouts and activities.