Russian Gymnasts

Through to 1960, the Italians first dominated the Olympic Games and then, the Soviets or Russian gymnasts. For the 1960s and 1970s, the Japanese gymnasts were number one while the Soviet women were first. Except for the 1984 Olympic Games boycott, Soviet women received a medal in every event for every year between 1952 and 1988, except one. In 1976, a Russian failed to capture a medal in the uneven bars. During this same period, the Russian men also fared well in the medal rankings.

The Russian teams have competed as Soviets, as the Unified Team and as Russians. The nomenclature reflects the political stance or situation of the country, but it does not affect the skills of the gymnasts involved. Alesandr Dityatin is a famous Russian gymnast in any language. He was the first male gymnast to win medals in all eight categories: the six individual events, the one all-around and the team category. In fact, Russians won the all-around combined exercise at the Olympics for men twice in a row. He was the gymnast, Victor Chukrain. Male Russians held the all-around in 1952 and 1956 and in 1980 and 1988.

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Among the famous female Russian gymnasts, one woman stands out in any Russian gymnast pictures. Larissa Latynina of the Soviet Union won 18 medals, a record number, between 1956 and 1964. These included nine golds (a woman’s Olympic record), five silvers and four bronzes. Olga Korbut, another Russian star, set a new precedent for female gymnastics, creating an ideal all gymnasts since have followed if they wish to succeed in the sport. In 1988, Russian female gymnasts did very well, but they did less well in 2004 at Athens. They still received medals, but they were all silver or bronze. The men were even less impressive.

This does not mean Russia lacks excellent gymnasts. Svetlana Khorkina, touted as one of the best gymnasts in the world, has done excessively well at the World Championships. She won a silver medal in 1995, a gold in 1997 and another gold in 2001. She won three medals in 2000 and has taken home three world championship all-rounds. In the 2004 Olympics, she won a silver medal in the all-around. Unlike her fellow Russian team members, she is older.

The Russian gymnast, Irina Tchachina, is a rhythmic gymnast. She won four victories in Akita at the 2001 World Games. These were in ball, clubs, hoop and rope. At the Budapest 3003 World Championships she had a part of the team victory as well as a silver in clubs and two bronzes. In 2004, Irina Tchachina took home a silver from the Olympics.