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One of the main reasons for the sustained excellence of the University of Oklahoma men's gymnastics team has been head coach Mark Williams' ability to surround himself with a superior staff. Rustam Sharipov is no exception. Sharipov brings the experience of three Olympic medals, including two golds, to Norman.
In his first year as an OU assistant, the Ukraine native was named National Co-Assistant Coach of the Year as he helped lead the Sooners to the 2006 National Championship. In 2008, Sharipov and the Sooners duplicated that feat with the program's eighth
National title.
After retiring from competitive gymnastics in 2000, Sharipov moved to the United States and began his coaching career at the Bart Conner Gymnastics Academy in Norman. After spending one year in Norman, Sharipov accepted a coaching position at the Houston Gymnastics Academy where he worked with some of the top gymnasts in the nation, including U.S. National Team members Sean Townsend and Todd Thornton. In 2004, he was the head coach for the U.S. Team that won the gold medal at the Junior Pacific Alliance Competition and in 2002 was the coach of the U.S. Team that took gold at the Junior Pan American
Games.
As a gymnast, Sharipov burst on the scene in 1989 as the Soviet junior national champion and, shortly afterward, brought home the all-around championship at the 1990 U.S. Olympic Cup. Sharipov put on a show at the 1992 European Championships, winning the high bar and taking second on the parallel bars. He also took first on the parallel bars at the CIS Championships and the DTB Cup, and added a high bar championship at the Tokyo Cup. Sharipov also helped the Unified Team to an Olympic Gold Medal at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
Sharipov did not slow down in '93, taking first in the all-around at both the Nikon International and the International Championships of Romania, along with a third-place finish in the event at the European Cup. At the 1994 World Championships, Sharipov was a member of the third-place team and was the runner-up on the parallel bars.
In 1995, after winning championships on the parallel bars at the French International and the Cottbus International along with an all-around title at the International Championships of Romania, Sharipov had an impressive showing at the European Cup, winning gold on high bar and parallel bars. He followed that up in 1996 with perhaps the best year of his career, taking first on the parallel bars at the European Championships before adding the championship on the apparatus at the World Championships.
The crowning moment came in 1996 in Atlanta, Ga., where Sharipov won the Olympic gold medal on the
parallel bars and was a member of the bronze-medal Ukrainian team.
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| The Sharipov File |
| Birthdate |
June 2, 1971 |
| Hometown |
Kharkov, Ukraine |
| High School |
Kharkov Region Secondary School |
| College |
Kharkov State, 1997 |
| Family |
wife, Amber
daughters, Ksenia, Maya and
Isabella |
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| Coaching Experience |
| 2005-present, Oklahoma Assistant Coach |
| 2001-05, Houston Gymnastics Academy |
| 2000-01, Bart Conner Gymnastics |
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| Coaching Accomplishments |
| 2010 World Championships Personal Coach |
| 2010 Head Coach of Gold Medal Pan American Team |
| 2008 National Co-Assistant Coach of the Year |
| 2006 National Co-Assistant Coach of the Year |
| 2004 Head Coach, Gold Medal Jr. Pacific Alliance Team |
| 2002 Head Coach of Gold Medal Jr. PanAm Team |
| 1992 "Master of Sport," Soviet Union |
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| Gymnastics Accomplishments |
| 1996 Olympic Gold Medalist on Parallel Bars |
| 1996 Bronze Medal Olympic Team (Ukraine) |
| 1996 World Parallel Bars Champion |
| 1996 European Parallel Bars Champion |
| 1995 High Bar Gold Medalist at European Cup |
| 1995 P-Bars Co-Gold Medalist at European Cup |
| 1995 Fifth in All-Around at European Cup |
| 1995 Championships of Romania AA Champion |
| 1995 Cottbus International Parallel Bars Champion |
| 1995 French International Parallel Bars Champion |
| 1994 World Parallel Bars Runner-Up |
| 1994 World Championships Third Place Team |
| 1994 European Parallel Bars Co-Champion |
| 1994 Chunichi Cup AA and Still Rings Champion |
| 1993 Third Place in All-Around at European Cup |
| 1993 Championships of Romania AA, SR, PB and HB Champion |
| 1993 First Place Team at Diet Coke Mixed Duos |
| 1993 Nikon International AA and P-Bars Champion |
| 1992 Olympic Gold Medal Team (Unified Team) |
| 1992 European High Bar Champion |
| 1992 European Parallel Bars Runner-Up |
| 1992 CIS Championships Parallel Bars Champion |
| 1992 DTB Cup Parallel Bars Champion |
| 1992 Tokyo Cup High Bar Champion |
| 1991 Alternate on World Champion Soviet Team |
| 1990 U.S. Olympic Cup All-Around Winner |
| 1989 Soviet Junior National Champion |
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A 1997 graduate of Kharkov State in Ukraine, Sharipov was awarded the title of Master of Sport in 1992. The honor represents the highest athletic level that one can reach in the former Soviet Union. Sharipov, and his wife, Amber, have three daughters, Ksenia, 7, Maya, 5 and Isabella, 3.
The couple also welcomed thier newest addition to the family, Raistlin Sharipov, on April 12, 2011. |
