Charles Lakes

Charles Lakes was the first African-American to compete for the USA in gymnastics at the Olympics, although Ron Galimore made the 1980 US Olympic team that did not compete. Lakes competed for the US at the 1985 and 1987 World Championships. In college he competed for the University of Illinois, winning an NCAA title on high bar in 1984. High bar was considered his best event. He also won a US title on floor exercise in 1988. Lakes later went into Scientology auditing with his father, and together they also started Humanonics Insurance Services. Charles Lakes was inducted into the USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 2003.