Sho Nakamori

Sho Nakamori
Full name	Sho Brian Nakamori
Born	(1985-09-09) September 9, 1985 (age 39) Oakland, California, U.S.
Hometown	Albany, California, U.S.
Height	5 ft 6 in (168 cm)
Weight	140 lb (64 kg)
Gymnastics career
Discipline	Men's artistic gymnastics
Country represented	United States
Years on national team	2007–2012
College team	Stanford Cardinal
Gym	Champions Academy San Mateo Gymnastics USOTC
Head coach(es)	Zhang Jinjing
Former coach(es)	Thom Glielmi, Vitaly Marinich
Retired	June 11, 2012
Medal record Men's artistic gymnastics Representing  United States Event 1st 2nd 3rd Pan American Games 0 0 2 Total 0 0 2 Pan American Games 2003 Santo Domingo Team 2011 Guadalajara Team

Sho Brian Nakamori (born September 9, 1985) is a retired American artistic gymnast. He was a member of the United States men's national artistic gymnastics team and won a bronze medal representing the United States at the 2011 Pan American Games.

Early life and education

Nakamori was born on September 9, 1985, in Oakland, California, to Kazuki and Tamae Nakamori. His father, Kazuki Nakamori, was a gymnast and was a member of the Japan men's national gymnastics team from 1982 to 1984.^[1]

Nakamori attended Albany High School, but left before his senior year to train in Colorado Springs, Colorado under Vitaly Marinich at the United States Olympic Training Center while attending Palmer High School.^[1][2] He almost made the United States men's national artistic gymnastics team at the age of 16, drawing comparisons to Chris Reigel, and was considered the top junior gymnast in the country.^[2] He enrolled at Stanford University to pursue gymnastics.

Gymnastics career

Nakamori was a Stanford Cardinal men's gymnastics team member. He was a bronze medalist on the horizontal bar at the 2008 NCAA Men's Gymnastics Championships and Stanford won the national championship at the 2009 NCAA Men's Gymnastics Championships.^[3]

Domestically, Nakamori performed well at Winter Cups, placing third in the pommel horse at the 2004 Winter Cup and the individual all-around at the 2009 Winter Cup.

Internationally, he was initially named as the first alternate for the 2003 Pan American Games team.^[4] He ultimately was selected, but he broke his left femur while attempting a warm-up vault at the competition.^[3][5] The fracture required a steel rod to be inserted into his leg.^[5] He later competed at the 2011 Pan American Games and won a team bronze medal.

Nakamori retired from gymnastics on June 11, 2012, after his performance at the 2012 U.S. National Gymnastics Championships did not qualify him for the 2012 United States Olympic trials.^[6]

References

1. Lee, Henry K. (March 19, 2004). "Kazuki Nakamori -- Bay Area gymnastics coach". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved August 17, 2024.
2. Pena, Michael (September 27, 2002). "It's Sho time". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved August 17, 2024.
3. "Vaulting to Victory". Stanford Magazine. July–August 2009. Retrieved August 17, 2024.
4. "Young Leads U.S. Entries To Pan American Games". usagym.org. June 23, 2003. Retrieved August 17, 2024.
5. Schwab, Matt (February 11, 2005). "After rough year, Stanford gymnast back on the horse". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved August 17, 2024.
6. "After failing to make Olympic trials, Sho Nakamori retires". The Morgan Hill Times. June 12, 2012. Retrieved August 17, 2024.

External links

• Sho Nakamori at USA Gymnastics
• Sho Nakamori at Olympics.com