January 04, 2021 2 min read

 Gymnastics is a unique sport that combines discipline, strength, elegance, concentration, elasticity and pressure. It has been practiced for centuries since the Greek and Roman coliseums where it was believed that only with the practice of gymnastics would we be able to dominate our body and mind equally.  Over the years, this beautiful sport has transformed and acquired recognition throughout the world, being one of the hobbies of thousands of people around the globe who practice it in all ages. Although it must be recognized that the great ability in gymnastics are Russia, Japan, China, Romania, United States, Ukraine and Belarus.

 

    Yet, this exquisite discipline would be nothing without athletes who have marked history with their determination and tenacity. Among the great stars of gymnastics of all times are:

     - Nadia Comaneci (Romania), was the first gymnast to achieve a perfect score of 10.0 in the Olympic Games; a feat she achieved in 1976 when she was 14 years old. Winning 5 gold, 3 silver and 1 bronze medals during the two Olympic Games that she participated in (1976 and 1980). An exceptional girl who will stay in our hearts because she possible what seemed impossible.

- Vera Čáslavská (Czechoslovakia), is remembered for her tenacity: she won a total of 22 international gymnastics titles, including 7 gold Olympic medals, all in individual events.

- Larissa Latynina (Soviet Union), is the most laureate woman in Olympic history: she won a total of 18 Olympic medals (14 individual and 4 team), including 9 gold medals. She also won 9 gold medals at World Gymnastics Championships.

- Vitaly Scherbo (Belarus / Soviet Union) achieved something that no other gymnast in history has achieved: he won 6 gold medals in the same Olympic Games (1992), in addition to 4 bronze medals in 1996, for a total of 10 Olympic medals.

- Sawao Kato (Japan), was the most outstanding star of the golden age of world gymnastics that was dominated by the battle that for 28 years Japan and the Soviet Union fought for the dominance of this sport: since 1952, the year in which the Japanese returned to the Olympic Games after the Second World War, until the boycott of the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow. Sawao won 12 medals for his team and his country, eight of them gold.

- Nikolai Andrianov (Soviet Union), is remembered for becoming the gymnast who achieved the most medals in the history of Olympic Games. He participated in the Olympic Games of 1972, 1976 and 1980, in which he won 15 medals, including 7 gold.
 

     Each one of these gymnasts marked history with their unique abilities. As well as the capacity of outshining the difficulties from their personal lives or problems in time management; remembering how extraordinary a person can be when they love what they do above all things.


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