Olympic Gymnast: Sam Mikulak

Sam Mikulak was a member of the 2012 Olympic gymnastics team, and won the 2011 NCAA all-around title as well.

Mikulak won the NCAA all-around in his freshman year as a member of the University of Michigan team, with a career-high 90.75 that included the highest score of the day on vault (16.35) and fifth highest score on floor (15.65). In the event finals the next day, he won third place on floor, fourth on parallel bars, and seventh on vault.

One year later, Mikulak placed second all-around (to Olympic teammate Jake Dalton) and won high bar.

Mikulak had a fantastic year in 2012, placing second all-around at the Pacific Rim Championships and then earning the bronze behind John Orozco and Danell Leyva at nationals, called the Visa Championships.

Mikulak had the highest all-around total of any competitor during the first night of the 2012 Olympic Trials. Though he was limited to only doing pommel horse on night two because of an injured ankle, Mikulak's strong credentials from 2012 placed him on the London Olympic team.

Mikulak competed five events (all but rings) in the men's qualification round in London, helping the team qualify into the finals in first place, and earning a spot in the individual vault finals as well. But the team finals was a disappointing day for the US. All teams started from a clean slate in finals, so the first-place finish from prelims didn't matter. The team struggled throughout, ending up fifth overall. Mikulak had an error on floor, but was otherwise solid on pommel horse, vault, and parallel bars.

In the individual event finals, Mikulak placed fifth on vault, with a Kasamatsu double (similar to a Tsukarahara entry, with three twists off the horse) and a stuck handspring double front. (Watch Sam Mikulak on vault.)

Mikulak was born Oct. 13, 1992 to Steve and Tina Mikulak. Both parents were gymnasts, so they started teaching him gymnastics as soon as he could walk. He started his first class at age two.

Mikulak calls Newport Coast, Calif. his hometown, and has a younger sister Alex.

Follow Sam on Twitter at @SamuelMikulak.

International:

• 2012 Olympic Games, London, England - 5th-Team, VT
• 2012 Kellogg's Pacific Rim Championships, Everett, Wash. - 1st-Team; 2nd-AA, VT, HB; 3rd-PH, PB
• 2011 Puerto Rico Cup, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico - 2nd-Team
• 2009 Junior Pan American Championships, Aracaju, Brazil - 2nd-Team, FX; 3rd-VT; 4th-AA, PB; 7th-HB

National:

• 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials, San Jose, Calif. - 5th-PH
• 2012 Visa Championships, St. Louis, Mo. - 2nd-PB; 3rd-AA; 4th-VT; 5th-PH, HB
• 2012 National Qualifier, Colorado Springs, Colo. - 4th-PB; 6th-PH
• 2012 NCAA Men's Gymnastics Championships, Norman, Okla. - 1st-HB; 2nd-AA(T); 6th-Team; 8th-PB
• 2012 Winter Cup Challenge, Las Vegas, Nev. - 2nd-PB; 7th-SR(T), HB
• 2011 NCAA Men's Gymnastics Championships, Columbus, Ohio - 1st-AA; 3rd-FX; 4th-PB; 5th-Team; 7th-VT
• 2011 Winter Cup Challenge, Las Vegas, Nev. - 2nd-VT
• 2010 Visa Championships, Hartford, Conn. - 1st-AA, PH, PB(T), HB; 2nd-FX, VT; 3rd-SR (Jr. 16-18)
• 2010 Men's Junior Olympic National Championships, Knoxville, Tenn. - 1st-AA, FX, VT; 2nd-HB; 3rd-PB; 6th-PH, SR (L10 16-18)
• 2009 Visa Championships, Dallas, Texas - 2nd-AA, FX, PH, SR, PB; 7th-VT (Jr., 14-15)
• 2009 Men's Junior Olympic National Championships, Cincinatti, Ohio - 2nd-AA, HB, PB, SR; 3rd-VT; 4th-PH
• 2008 Men's Junior Olympic National Championships, Battle Creek, Mich. - 1st-VT; 2nd-HB; 3rd-SR; 4th-AA
• 2008 Visa Championships, Houston, Texas - 2nd-AA, FX, HB; 3rd-SR, VT; 4th-PH(T); 6th-PB (Jr., 14-15)
• 2007 Visa Championships, San Jose, Calif. - 1st-VT; 2nd-AA, HB; 3rd-PB (Jr. Div.)
• 2007 Men's Junior Olympic National Championships, Oklahoma City, Okla. - 1st-AA; 2nd-FX; 3rd-PH, SR; 5th-VT
• 2006 Men's Junior Olympic National Championships, Battle Creek, Mich. - 1st-FX; 2nd-AA, PH; 4th-PB (T); 5th-VT(T)