Gilbert Larose
Encyclopedia
Gilbert Larose was a gymnast
who was named NCAA all-around champion for the University of Michigan
in 1963 and competed for Canada
in the 1964
and 1968 Summer Olympics
. Larose was the first University of Michigan gymnast to win the NCAA all-around title.
He attended Immaculate Conception high school, where he played right wing on the school's hockey
team. He enjoyed the trampoline
and experimented with other gymnastics equipment, quickly becoming a skilled gymnast and winning the Novice Division of the Canadian National Gymnastics Championship in 1957.
He competed as a gymnast while attending the University of Michigan.
. Winning three NCAA titles in a single year is a university record that has not been repeated or exceeded (as of 2010). The University of Michigan men's gymnastics team (coached by Newt Loken
) also won the NCAA Gymnastics Team Championship in 1963.
achieving a rank of 92 in Men's Individual All-Around.
, Larose competed in the following gymnastics events:
achieving a rank of 64 in Men's Individual All-Around and 16 in Men's Team All-Around.
He also served as coach of the Ontario-Québec Athletic Association (OQAA) University Conference gymnastics team and eventually died in Montreal on 25 August 2006.
(Note: In 1955 the OQAA was formed from a section of what had been known as the Canadian Intercollegiate Athletic Union. Following several reorganizations, the remaining members changed their name to Ontario Universities Athletic Association in 1971.)
Gymnast
Gymnasts are people who participate in the sports of either artistic gymnastics, trampolining, or rhythmic gymnastics.See gymnasium for the origin of the word gymnast from gymnastikos.-Female artistic:Australia...
who was named NCAA all-around champion for the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in 1963 and competed for Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in the 1964
1964 Summer Olympics
The 1964 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Tokyo, Japan in 1964. Tokyo had been awarded with the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this honor was subsequently passed to Helsinki because of Japan's...
and 1968 Summer Olympics
1968 Summer Olympics
The 1968 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Mexico City, Mexico in October 1968. The 1968 Games were the first Olympic Games hosted by a developing country, and the first Games hosted by a Spanish-speaking country...
. Larose was the first University of Michigan gymnast to win the NCAA all-around title.
Early life
Larose was born in Montréal, Quebec, Canada, on 13 September 1942.He attended Immaculate Conception high school, where he played right wing on the school's hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
team. He enjoyed the trampoline
Trampoline
A trampoline is a device consisting of a piece of taut, strong fabric stretched over a steel frame using many coiled springs. People bounce on trampolines for recreational and competitive purposes....
and experimented with other gymnastics equipment, quickly becoming a skilled gymnast and winning the Novice Division of the Canadian National Gymnastics Championship in 1957.
He competed as a gymnast while attending the University of Michigan.
University of Michigan
In 1963 Larose was named the All-Around NCAA Champion in gymnastics and won individual titles in Vault (Long Horse) and Horizontal BarHorizontal bar
The high bar, also known as the horizontal bar, is an apparatus used by male gymnasts in Artistic Gymnastics. It traditionally consists of a cylindrical metal bar that is rigidly held above and parallel to the floor by a system of cables and stiff vertical supports. Gymnasts typically wear leather...
. Winning three NCAA titles in a single year is a university record that has not been repeated or exceeded (as of 2010). The University of Michigan men's gymnastics team (coached by Newt Loken
Newt Loken
Newton C. Loken was an artistic gymnast and coach of gymnastics, trampolining and cheerleading. While a member of the Minnesota Golden Gophers men's gymnastics team, Loken was NCAA all-around gymnastics champion in 1942 and the Big Ten Conference all-around champion in 1941 and 1942...
) also won the NCAA Gymnastics Team Championship in 1963.
1964
At the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, Larose competed in the following gymnastics events:- Men's Floor ExerciseFloor (gymnastics)In gymnastics, the floor refers to a specially prepared exercise surface, which is considered an apparatus. It is used by both male and female gymnasts. The event in gymnastics performed on floor is called floor exercise. The English abbreviation for the event in gymnastics scoring is FX.A spring...
- Men's Horse Vault
- Men's Parallel Bars
- Men's Horizontal Bar
- Men's RingsRings (gymnastics)The rings, also known as still rings , is an artistic gymnastics apparatus and the event that uses it. It is traditionally used only by male gymnasts, due to its extreme upper-body strength requirements...
- Men's Pommelled HorsePommel horseThe pommel horse is an artistic gymnastics apparatus. Traditionally, it is used by only male gymnasts. Originally made of a metal frame with a wooden body and a leather cover, modern pommel horses have a metal body covered with foam rubber and leather, with plastic handles .- History :The pommel...
achieving a rank of 92 in Men's Individual All-Around.
1968
At the 1968 Summer Olympics in Ciudad de México, MexicoMexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, Larose competed in the following gymnastics events:
- Men's Floor Exercise
- Men's Horse Vault
- Men's Parallel Bars
- Men's Horizontal Bar
- Men's Rings
- Men's Pommelled Horse
achieving a rank of 64 in Men's Individual All-Around and 16 in Men's Team All-Around.
Later life
Larose returned to Montreal and became a high school teacher.He also served as coach of the Ontario-Québec Athletic Association (OQAA) University Conference gymnastics team and eventually died in Montreal on 25 August 2006.
(Note: In 1955 the OQAA was formed from a section of what had been known as the Canadian Intercollegiate Athletic Union. Following several reorganizations, the remaining members changed their name to Ontario Universities Athletic Association in 1971.)