The Hungarian gymnast Agnes Keletioldest Olympic champion, died on January 2, 2025 at the age of 103 ans in a hospital in Budapest. Her press secretary confirmed this sad news, specifying that she had been hospitalized for pneumonia a few days before her birthday.
An Exceptional Sports JourneyA Lasting Legacy
An Exceptional Sports Journey
Born on January 9, 1921 under the name ofAgnes KleinKeleti made sporting history by winning a total of ten Olympic medalsdont five golden at the Helsinki Games in 1952 and Melbourne in 1956. Remarkably, all of her gold medals came after the age of 30, when she was already a mother. His journey is all the more impressive as it was shaped by the tragic events of the Shoah. Due to her Jewish origins, she was forced to interrupt her sporting career during the Second World War. She managed to escape deportation by using false documents and hiding.
A Lasting Legacy
Keleti has also been an iconic and inspiring figure, having said: “I did sport not because it made me feel good but to see the world.” After the Melbourne Olympics, she went into exile in Israel and only returned definitively to Hungary in 2015. His death prompted tributes, including that of the president of the International Olympic Committee, who praised his determination and courage in the face of the tragedies of his life.
