Completed Event: Men's Gymnastics versus Nebraska on April 18, 2025 , Loss , 323.460, to, 324.694
Final
Men's Gymnastics
323.460
vs Nebraska
324.694
University of Oklahoma Athletics
Sooner Profile: Taqiy Abdullah-Simmons
January 27, 2008 | Men's Gymnastics
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The consummate teammate, Abdullah-Simmons could care less about individual glory. Despite winning the individual all-around title last year, he was more disappointed that the team came up short in its pursuit of the ultimate goal.
You see, even more than winning championships, Abdullah-Simmons said the most special aspect of competing at the University of Oklahoma is the camaraderie between the guys on the team. This is reflected in his approach to every competition. He never thinks about scores or placements, he just goes out there trying to do the best he possibly can for his team.
In a sport dictated so much by individual performances, Abdullah-Simmons follows this philosophy because, without his teammates behind him, he said he would not be able to accomplish the things he has in gymnastics.
And without having people like Abdullah-Simmons on the roster, the Sooner men's gymnastics team would not be the consistently dominant program that it is.
On the thrill of winning the NCAA individual all-around title last year:
"The thrill was amazing. I was very pleased to be able to go out there and perform well. I was very surprised that I actually won because Jon (Horton) is the best gymnast in the country by far. I was also extremely disappointed because the team comes first and we came up a little short last year by finishing second. Hopefully this year is going to be a lot different. I was still very pleased to win the all-around last year, especially in Pennsylvania because that was my first time competing there in six or seven years."
On his individual expectations going into the Championships:
"The only thing I expect from myself is always to just hit every routine I go out there and do and try to make my performance be as good for the team as possible. I don't ever think about placements because it's just going to get in the way of my performance. I just want to go out there and perform well for the team."
On whether winning the all-around gives him some bragging rights over Horton:
"No, it doesn't matter. Jon and I are great friends. I've known him for about 10 years now so we've been competing with or against each other forever. It was nothing. Before the competition we were kind of like, since we went 1-2 at conference that would be great if we could do it at nationals because we knew that would help the team out a lot. But all the more goes to Jon because he's a great gymnast and works out hard. It doesn't matter who gets the most attention, we just want this team to perform well."
 "Being around the team every day and being able to travel with your best friends every week is just the best feeling." |
"It's great because I knew almost everyone on the team before they even came to college. Coming in, we're already close and then actually being in college, in the same state and the same city, we hang out all the time. It's basically like we're all a bunch of brothers here. I love it."
On his goals and expectations for this season:
"The main thing for us this year is going to be staying healthy. We have to get some people back to being more healthy than they are at the moment. Other than that, we just have to keep going at the present pace we're on right now. We're doing really well and becoming more consistent. The whole thing is just staying consistent and being healthy. Beyond that, we should be fine. We have a great set of guys here. We probably have one of the smallest rosters in the country but that doesn't mean anything because I think we're the most talented team out there."
On how he deals with the pressure of the individual competition in gymnastics:
"It's really easy. Before college it was purely for myself, all my accomplishments and everything was just for me. We are out there by ourselves but you always have the team behind you. When you go up, you feel your team's presence out there. It's not like you're ever doing anything completely by yourself. Even if you feel pressure being out there by yourself, you understand that even if you mess up you still have so many people behind you to back you up. It's always a great feeling to know that."
On his background and how he ended up at Oklahoma:
"I was born in Philadelphia and started out in the rec program, a tumbling program. I only did it because my older brother did it, Mubarak. He actually came to OU before me. I did gymnastics there for about nine years but I felt like my gymnastics wasn't progressing how it should have. So I moved to Houston, Texas, to the national training center down there because my brother was also there before me. When I was there my gymnastics just took off. I improved a whole lot and eventually made the national team. I got offered a lot of full scholarships to other places in the country, but the program here was already great and had just won a national championship. Also, my brother was here so it was an easy decision to make."
On how special it was to compete with his brother his first year in college:
"That was the best feeling ever to compete with him. It was great because we won a national championship. And just to have your older brother looking after you making sure you're doing the right things and staying on the right path, it was definitely a big help to me."
On how fast the last four years have gone by:
"It's amazing how fast it's gone by. I still feel like a freshman sometimes. I still feel really young in so many ways, but then looking at the fact that I'm a senior now and one of the captains, I have to be more mature sometimes. Other than that, it's just been a great ride."
On the most special aspect of competing at the University of Oklahoma:
"The most special thing is just every day in the gym. Being around the team every day and being able to travel with your best friends every week is the best feeling. It's great winning competitions and winning national championships, but the whole process of it is just amazing."
On his plans for the future:
"I haven't yet decided. I want to get through this year first. Hopefully I can do my best and make it to the Olympic trials and possibly even the Olympics. We'll see how that goes if I can stay healthy. Other than that, I just want to enjoy life wherever it takes me."
MGYM Highlights: NCAA Qualifier
Friday, April 18
MGYM Highlights: OU 325.250, William & Mary 311.450, Greenville 298.750
Saturday, March 15
MGYM Highlights: OU 323.200, California 308.500, Nebraska 317.100
Friday, February 28
MGYM Highlights: Winter Cup (Day One)
Friday, February 21
