One week shy of her 104th birthday, legendary Agnes Keleti passes away

Sad news to start the year as the Hungarian, Israeli and international gymnastics communities mourn the death of the legendary Agnes Keleti, at the age of 103.

Born on 9 January 1921 as Agnes Klein in a Jewish family in the Hungarian capital Budapest, she quickly excelled in gymnastics, becoming a national Champion and member of the National team. Expected to shine at the 1940 Olympics, the second World War put an end to those amibtions. Instead, Keleti went into hiding in the countryside, with false papers, thus surviving but many of her family members perished in Auschwitz.

Picking up gymnastics again after the war, Keleti didn’t compete in the 1948 Olympics due to injury, finally making her Olympic debut in Helsinki in 1952 where she won 4 medals, including the gold on floor. At the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne, Keleti added 6 more medals to her collection, including 4 titles. At 35 years old, she became the oldest Olympic Champion in gymnastics history.

After the Games, Keleti decided not to return to Soviet-occupied Hungary, seeking asylum in Australia. One year later she emigrated to Israel where she became a pioneer in gymnastics as a coach and international judge. Keleti returned to Hungary in recent years.  

Since the passing of Finnish cross-country skier Lydia Wideman on 13 April 2019, Keleti was the oldest living Olympic Champion. Her name is immortalized in a book and a movie, and will continue to shine a loving light in the gymnastics community.

Photo: Hungarian Gymnastics Federation