Paul Hunt (gymnast)

Paul Hunt is a gymnastics coach and gymnastics clown. Hunt was born in Illinois,[1] and now lives in Murray, Utah. He runs Hunt's Gymnastics Academy (a.k.a. Hunt's Gym) in Salt Lake City.[2] Hunt has performed comedic performances of women's gymnastics routines,[3] including the uneven bars,[4] floor exercises,[5] and the balance beam[6] since 1980.[5] He has performed on US and international television, including Wide World of Sports and America's Funniest Videos.[7]

Hunt was a competitive men's gymnast at the University of Illinois[4] in the early 1970s.[6] He won the Big Ten Conference individual championship in the floor exercise in 1971,[8] and had another win in the floor exercise in 1973.[9] He was the 1972 U.S. National Floor Exercise champion.[2]

Hunt has been coaching gymnastics in Utah since 1974.[7] While demonstrating a backflip for a female student, he realized the comic value of a man performing women's gymnastics.[2] He performs his complex routines during gymnastics competitions for comic relief, wearing a skirted leotard and often calling himself Paulina Huntesque,[7] Pauletta Huntenova, Paulette Huntinova[10] or some similar variation. Often he would sport his thick mustache.

References

  1. ↑ About Paul at Hunt's Gymnastics Academy
  2. 1 2 3 Floor routine by Paul Hunt (c. 1987) on YouTube; sportscaster commentators unknown.
  3. ↑ "Hunt relies on humor to promote gymnastics", The Advocate (Baton Rouge, Louisiana), 3 February 1986.
  4. 1 2 Nadia Tour uneven bar performance (1981) on YouTube
  5. 1 2 Floor Exercise routine (1980) on YouTube
  6. 1 2 Balance beam routine (1988) on YouTube
  7. 1 2 3 Teachers & Staff, Hunt's Gymnastics Academy
  8. ↑ Big Ten Conference 2006-07 Big Ten Records Book, Men's Gymnastics
  9. ↑ Roster of Winners of Individual and Team Championships in Sports During 1973, New York Times, 23 December 1973.
  10. ↑ Balance beam routine by Paul Hunt (c. 1988) on YouTube; sportscaster commentators unknown.
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