Kanji Oyama's Unexpected Journey

nly a select few athletes ever have the honor of donning the red, white and blue and competing with “Team USA” on their uniforms. Those that do will remember the experience for a lifetime. For 2016 Oklahoma graduate Kanji Oyama, that honor has been the cherry on top of an exceptional year that no one saw coming.

Oyama entered the 2016 Oklahoma men's gymnastics season having been a steady contributor on floor and vault for the Sooners' 2015 national title run. He earned All-America honors on both events after finishing in the top eight of each at the NCAA Championships, and head coach Mark Williams was hopeful that the Sooners might be able to coax one more event out of him for 2016.

“We were hoping he would contribute on rings after we lost Michael Squires,” Williams remembered. “It was surprising to me how he became more of a guy who could fill in on any event. Through the year he did events that were normally weak for him. He was doing pommel horse and even high bar. By the end of the year we could make it so Yul (Moldauer), Allan (Bower) and Kanji actually did the all-around at nationals which was a surprise to me.”

Kanji Oyama and teammates raise the trophy after claiming the 2016 NCAA Championship, Oyama earned four All-America honors at the championship and tied for second in the all-around.

Oyama's transformation from contributor to all-around star was a big reason for the Sooners' success this year. Oklahoma completed a second-straight undefeated regular season, claimed its fifth-straight MPSF conference title and successfully defended its NCAA title, repeating as national champion.

For his part, and as evidence of his ability as a complete gymnast, Oyama tied for second in the all-around competition and earned All-America honors on floor, vault, parallel bars and in the all-around.

“It has been crazy,” Oyama said. “At the beginning of the year I didn't think I would make more than two or three events, and I competed in the all-around at NCAAs. Every step of the way I have surprised myself with how much I can do. I just feel like there is so much more that I can show.”

Graduation hasn't marked the end of Oyama's exceptional year. In early June, Oyama and a host of other Sooners competed at the 2016 P&G Championships in Hartford, Conn. The events serves as the national championship and national team qualifying event for American men's gymnastics. With 2016 being an Olympic year, it also served as the gateway to the 2016 Olympic Trials.

Oyama finished 14^th in a field of 40 gymnasts and was selected to the U.S. Senior National Team by the USAG Men's Program Committee. His inclusion on the 18-man team earned him a berth to the Trials, which began Thursday night.

"Since the beginning Mark has told me to have that championship mentality everywhere I go. In the gym and in school and everywhere we are. I think finally am starting to get what that means."
- Kanji Oyama

“This is kind of a reward for his year I think,” Williams said. “He got to where people never thought he would be. He is getting a taste of what it's like to be at the highest level. He needs to learn some more skills and raise his difficulty a little, but there's a chance in the next couple years that he will represent the United States at some competition and that's pretty cool. Two years ago if you told me he was going to make the Olympic Trials I wouldn't have believed you.”

“It's been a fun and awesome experience,” Oyama said. “I didn't think I would get here at all. I just had my eye on competing my best gymnastics and seeing how far I could go, but being on the senior team and competing at Olympic Trials was not something I thought I could accomplish.”

Thursday night Oyama hit all six of his routines and scored an 85.775 in the all-around, good for 11^th place, in front of Olympic-caliber judges. Even for a two-time NCAA team champion, the pressure of the Olympic spotlight was something unique.

“We woke up and had a morning practice, but it didn't hit me that we were competing that day,” Oyama described. “We came back and I took a nap. When I woke up Yul told me, 'wow we're competing at Olympic Trials today'. Then it hit me like 'oh wow this is a big deal'. A lot of people dream about coming to Olympic Trials and I am going to be competing for something bigger. It was different nerves than I've felt before.”

Kanji Oyama looks heavenward after a routine at the 2016 P&G Championships. Oyama's performance at the event earned him a place on the U.S. Senior National Team and a berth in the 2016 U.S. Men's Oympic Trials.

It has been Oyama's hard work that earned him the chance to be nervous. His spectacular run has been the product of countless hours in the gym and a relentless focus not on results, but simply maximizing his effort every day.

“Instead of working out to get through the day, I would put 200 percent into what I was doing and let that take its course,” Oyama said. “I wasn't trying to force anything. I just wanted to work out as hard as I could and let everything else fall into place. Since the beginning Mark has told me to have that championship mentality everywhere I go. In the gym and in school and everywhere we are. I think finally am starting to get what that means.”

Saturday night Oyama and five other Sooners will hit the podium in St. Louis, a national broadcast beginning at 8 p.m. CT on NBC and NBC Sports Live Extra, with one last chance to make an impression on the Olympic committee. While Oyama likely won't make the squad headed to Rio, his performances will serve as a sort of victory lap for a year of hard work, shattered expectations and personal triumph.

“I am feeling zero pressure,” Oyama said. “I'm just going to enjoy this and make the most of it. I'll use this experience for years to come. After the meet or maybe even during it, there will be a couple times I'll look around and just soak up the atmosphere.”

Players Mentioned

Michael Squires

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