At a Glance
- Jim Hartung, 1984 Olympic gold medalist and Nebraska assistant coach, died January 10 at 65
- Helped Nebraska win four straight national championships as an athlete, then coached for 19 years
- Why it matters: A Midwest gymnastics icon leaves behind a legacy spanning four decades of championships and mentorship
Jim Hartung, the decorated Olympic gymnast who helped Team USA capture gold at the 1984 Summer Olympics and later shaped generations of Nebraska gymnasts as an assistant coach, has died at age 65.
The University of Nebraska Athletic Department announced Hartung’s death on January 11, one day after he passed away. Hartung spent the last 19 years as the assistant men’s gymnastics coach at his alma mater, where he had previously won four consecutive national championships as an athlete from 1979 through 1982.
Olympic Glory and Collegiate Dominance
Hartung’s gymnastics legacy began in Omaha, Nebraska, where he emerged as one of the city’s greatest athletes. He earned a spot on two U.S. Olympic teams, culminating in the 1984 Los Angeles Games where the American men’s gymnastics squad claimed the team gold medal.
His collegiate career at Nebraska proved even more dominant. As a member of the Cornhuskers men’s gymnastics team, Hartung helped secure four straight national championships during his tenure from 1979 to 1982. This unprecedented run established Nebraska as a powerhouse in collegiate gymnastics and cemented Hartung’s reputation as a fierce competitor.
Coaching Career and Lasting Impact
After his competitive career ended, Hartung returned to Nebraska in 2005 as an assistant coach. For 19 years, he guided young gymnasts with the same dedication that had defined his own athletic journey. According to head coach Chuck Chmelka, Hartung was in the gym coaching on Friday, just one day before his death.
Chmelka wrote on Facebook, as reported by the Lincoln Star Journal: “In true Jim fashion, he was in the gym on Friday doing what he loved most, coaching, teaching, and spending time with the current generation of gymnasts. That dedication to the sport and to the people in it defined who Jim was. He loved gymnastics, he loved sharing his knowledge, and most of all, he loved the relationships that came with it.”
Honors and Recognition
Hartung’s contributions to gymnastics earned him multiple hall of fame inductions. In 2015, he became an inaugural member of the Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame. Nearly a decade later, in 2024, the College Gymnastics Association inducted him into their Hall of Fame Class.
Local sports figures emphasized Hartung’s significance beyond his medals. Former First Alert 6 sports director Ross Jernstrom told WOWT that Hartung ranked among the top 10 greatest athletes to emerge from Omaha and the state of Nebraska.
Jernstrom stated: “Jim is in the top 10 of the greatest athletes to come out of the city of Omaha and the state of Nebraska – that’s how good he is. He is in that class…he’s one of the greatest athletes of all time to come out of the city of Omaha.”
The sports director added: “He was the ambassador for gymnastics in the state, and he carried on that tradition in a great way.”
University Response and Tributes
The Nebraska Athletic Department released a statement praising Hartung’s lifelong dedication to gymnastics. The department called him “a true Husker legend” and emphasized that “his impact on the sport of gymnastics will carry on for decades to come.”
The university’s statement read: “The Nebraska Athletic Department is deeply saddened to announce the passing of assistant men’s gymnastics coach Jim Hartung on Saturday night. Our condolences go out to Jim’s family, friends, and everyone he has impacted during his remarkable life in gymnastics from a national champion athlete at Nebraska to an Olympic gold medalist to a successful coach.”
The department pledged support for the gymnastics program during the difficult period, stating: “Our department will provide all available resources and support for our men’s gymnastics student-athletes and coaching staff during this very difficult time.”
Family and Survivors
Hartung leaves behind four children: Jim, Nick, Jake, and Hannah. According to Central Nebraska Today, his family will carry on his legacy both personally and within the gymnastics community where he invested so much of his life.
The gymnastics community now faces the challenge of moving forward without one of its most dedicated figures. Hartung’s death represents not just the loss of an Olympic champion, but the passing of a coach who spent nearly two decades mentoring young athletes with the same passion he brought to his own competitive career.
His story illustrates how athletic greatness can extend far beyond competitive achievements. From the 1984 Olympic podium to the Nebraska training facility where he spent his final day coaching, Hartung embodied dedication to gymnastics. The four national championships he helped secure as a collegiate athlete and the 19 years he invested as a coach created a legacy that will influence Nebraska gymnastics for years to come.
