Typically on a Saturday, student roommates Sam Mikulak and Syque Caesar might hang out with friends, watch a movie on TV or play video games.
But come Saturday, the U-M Men’s Gymnastics Team teammates will be in London, competing in qualification rounds in hopes of advancing to the Olympic finals.
Caesar
Mikulak. Photos by Martin Vloet, Michigan Photography.
Mikulak will be competing for the United States team, while Caesar will compete as the first-ever Olympic gymnast representing Bangladesh. They are among 26 athletes and coaches on the U-M roster for the 2012 London Olympics, compiled by the Athletic Department.
“Sam is a very calm competitor. The greater the pressure, the more relaxed he becomes,” says Kurt Golden, the head U-M gymnastics coach who also will be attending the London games as a U.S. team assistant. “Syque … it’s unique how much he studies gymnastics. He can tell you about every opponent. They’re both real good team guys,” Golden says.
Caesar, a fifth-year senior from Port St. Lucie, Fla., already has competed twice for Bangladesh, winning that country’s first gold medal in an international gymnastics competition last December.
“I think for both of us it hasn’t really sunk in yet,” Caesar says shortly before leaving Ann Arbor for London.
“I’m just glad he’s going to be there,” says Mikulak, a junior from Corona del Mar, Calif. “I’ll get to cheer him on. Having a little bit of Michigan there, having that support will be a comfort.”
Both of Mikulak’s parents were gymnasts. “They met at Cal Berkeley. My father went to the Olympic trials, my mother was on the national team,” he says. While he also played team sports growing up, Mikulak says he preferred gymnastics. “I was really competitive, I hated losing, when I had to rely on someone else to win the game. I found I thrived on having that solo motivation.”
Mikulak says training, about 20 hours per week in preparation for the games, has been going great. “I’m just ready for it to happen,” he says. “I’m excited. This is a whole new thing in my life, I want to meet as many athletes and hear the stories they tell. Maybe they can teach me things.”
For a recent training session on campus, Caesar wears a predominantly green Bangladesh team training uniform. “It was very difficult for me to get up this morning and wear these colors on campus,” he says, smiling. “But I’m really excited to represent the country, I couldn’t be happier.” He was encouraged to seek a spot on the team by his father. Both his parents are from Bangladesh.
Caesar says the prospect he and Mikulak will compete against each other really hasn’t come up. “It hasn’t changed much in terms of our relationship. We do talk about the collegiate season next year. Our goal is to win the national championship.”
While both each identify a handful of events each feels particularly good at, both identify parallel bars as the one event they both excel at — which suggests they could meet in that event in the finals.
“I will be ecstatic if that happens,” Caesar says.
The U-M roster for the London Olympics:
Women’s Basketball:
Krista Phillips, Canada, a U-M letter winner 2007-10
Men’s Gymnastics:
Syque Caesar, Bangladesh, U-M letter winner 2009, ’11-12
Sam Mikulak, USA, U-M letter winner 2011-12
Women’s Rowing:
Sarah Trowbridge, USA, U-M letter winner 2003-05
Janine Hanson, Canada, U-M letter winner 2003-06
Men’s Rowing:
Tom Peszek, USA, men’s club team alumnus 2007
Men’s Swimming:
Tyler Clary, USA, U-M letter winner 2008-10
Charlie Houchin, USA, U-M letter winner 2007-10
Connor Jaeger, USA, U-M letter winner 2011-12
Michael Phelps, USA, U-M volunteer coach 2005-08
Davis Tarwater, USA, U-M letter winner 2003-06
Peter Vanderkaay, USA, U-M letter winner 2003-06
Mike Bottom, Serbia, men’s head coach, U-M coach 2008-current
Dr. Josh White, Barbados, coach, U-M assistant coach 2009-current
Mark Hill, Ireland, coach, U-M volunteer coach 2010-current
Bob Bowman, USA, men’s assistant coach, U-M coach 2004-08
Jon Urbanchek, USA, special assistant coach, U-M coach 1982-2004
Men’s Track and Field:
Nate Brannen, Canada, U-M letter winner 2002-05
Jeff Porter, USA, U-M letter winner 2004-07
Nick Willis, New Zealand, U-M letter winner 2003-05
Jerome Singleton, USA, Paralympics, U-M alumnus (2010)
Women’s Track and Field:
Geena Gall, USA, U-M letter winner 2006-09
Tiffany (Ofili) Porter, Great Britain, U-M letter winner 2006-09
Nicole (Edwards) Sifuentes, Canada, U-M letter winner 2005-08
Water Polo:
Betsey Armstrong, USA, U-M letter winner 2002-05
Wrestling (Greco-Roman):
Steve Fraser, USA, head coach, U-M letter winner 1978-80
