Olympic gold medalist and Holocaust survivor Agnes Keleti has died at the age of 103. At the age of 103, she was the world’s oldest Olympic medalist.
According to the Hungarian state news agency, Keleti died in Budapest on Thursday morning. On December 25, she was admitted to the hospital in a critical condition due to pneumonia.
A Journey from Holocaust Struggle to Golden Success:
Agnes Keleti won a total of 10 Olympic medals in the sport of gymnastics during her career, including 5 gold medals. She performed this feat in the 1952 Helsinki Olympics and the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. Despite losing her father and many relatives in the Holocaust, she reached the pinnacle of success in sports.
“My 100 years felt like 60”:
On her 100th birthday, Agnes told The Associated Press, “I’ve lived a good life, I love life. I’m glad I’m still healthy.”
Birth and conflict in World War II:
Agnes Klein was born in 1921 in Budapest. Her sporting career was interrupted by World War II. The cancellation of the 1940 and 1944 Olympics left her dream of participation unfulfilled. In 1941, she was expelled from the Hungarian gymnastics team for being Jewish. During that time, she overcame bad circumstances by living in a Hungarian village under a false identity.
Her mother and sister survived the war with the help of famous Swedish diplomat Raul Wallenberg, but her father and several relatives perished in the Auschwitz concentration camp.
An Olympic success story:
After the war, Agnes resumed her sporting career. She was all set to compete in the 1948 London Olympics, but a last-minute injury forced her to withdraw. Four years later, at the age of 31, she made her debut at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. There she won one silver and two bronze medals along with a gold medal in floor exercise.
At the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, she became the most successful athlete. She won four gold and two silver medals. At the age of 35, she became the oldest gymnast in history to win the gold medal.
Became the oldest player in history:
During the Melbourne Olympics, the Soviet Union invaded Hungary due to an uprising against the Hungarian government. After this, Agnes stayed in Australia and sought political asylum. She immigrated to Israel the following year.
In Israel, she worked as a coach and guided the Israeli Olympic gymnastics team until 1990.
Agnes Keleti’s life journey is an inspiring story of struggle and success. The sports world has lost a great personality in her death.