Dyer wins 2 events, OU finishes 2nd
After dedicating himself to rest and rehabilitation, Gage Dyer suddenly realized he could elevate his left arm above his head again.
It was a simple motion, something he was accustomed to doing when he competed in floor exercise as an Oklahoma men’s gymnast, but it became impossible for him when he tore his teres major, an upper arm muscle. As the postseason approached, Dyer initially practiced an altered version of his floor routine to limit his arm movements until he assured coach Mark Williams that he had regained his mobility.
“I think I’m ready to do the whole thing,” Dyer told Williams.
Dyer, a senior from Yukon, showed no signs of injury when he executed his championship-winning floor routine on Saturday night at the NCAA championships in Minneapolis. He posted a career-best 15.266 in floor exercise, setting a record for the top score
on any apparatus this season, and he also had a score of 15.033 to claim the individual title in vault.
With his career night, Dyer led the No. 1 Sooners to a runner-up finish to Stanford. Behind all-around national champion Brody Malone, the Cardinal edged the Sooners with a score of 414.521 to 411.591, winning their second straight national title.
“He probably could have medaled in the Olympics just on that floor routine,” Williams said. “…Gage is big time. He himself carried us to be second just on those two apparatus (floor and vault). I’m thrilled for him.”
In the first rotation, Dyer had a strong start with his floor routine. After he stuck his final landing with poise, he pumped his right fist and yelled, feeding the enthusiasm of his teammates, who met him with high fives as he exuberantly walked over to join them.
“Having that sweet moment and knowing that they were there to celebrate that routine with me, it’s just a blessing to have all those people I can consider to be my brothers,” Dyer said. “It was just a great moment.”
Then in the fourth rotation, he completed a triple-twist vault to ascend to the top of the event’s standings, keeping the Sooners’ momentum alive as they battled with Stanford.
His feats of athleticism masked the fact that he had been inactive for about three weeks during the season. After that, he spent another three weeks rehabilitating from his injury, Williams said. Even when Dyer could lift his arm above his head again, medical professionals had concern that he could reinjure his muscle, so he needed to train with caution to avoid a setback.
Fortunately for Dyer, he exceeded expectations with a speedy recovery.
“It was just another blessing, just being able to heal super-fast and trust my training to get me to this point,” Dyer said. Throughout the season, all of the Sooners overcame adversity, from managing an injury-riddled roster to adjusting to COVID-19 protocols, which meant competing in their first virtual meet in late January against Army. Despite the difficulties, they made their seasonending statement of resilience in the NCAA Finals.
After their first-rotation success in floor routine, they faced some challenges on pommel horse, but Williams didn’t let this shake his demeanor.
“It wasn’t totally unexpected,” Williams said. “But (I’m) really proud of the fight of this team.”
The Sooners bounced back in the third rotation, when they competed on still rings. Alan Camillus posted a score of 14.033, concluding his routine with an emphatic exclamation of “Let’s go” and landing in the top five of the still rings standings.
As the Sooners entered the fourth rotation, they trailed Stanford by only three points. With Dyer leading the way, they gained momentum, and OU claimed the lead after its fifth rotation on parallel bars. On the final rotation, as the Sooners competed on the high bar, the Cardinal surged ahead with their strong showing on still rings, sealing their national title as they notched three of the top five still rings scores.
It’s unclear if this marked the end of Dyer’s time as a Sooner or if he will return for his extra year of eligibility. He hasn’t come to a decision and said he wants to focus on World Championships, but regardless of his future, he finished a tough season with a careerdefining night.
“His floor routine was the highlight,” Williams said. “But then the cherry was put on top of the ice cream when he vaulted and won, too.”