Agnes Keleti, Oldest Living Olympic Gold Medalist, Dies at 103

Agnes Keleti the world’s oldest living Olympic gold medallist and a Holocaust survivor passed away at the age of 103. Keleti a legendary Hungarian gymnast, became a five-time Olympic champion. She won her first Olympic gold at the 1952 Helsinki Games at the age of 31, followed by four more golds in Melbourne in 1956. As a result of these victories, she became the oldest female gymnast to win Olympic gold.

She ended her career with 10 Olympic medals including five golds, making her the second most successful Hungarian athlete in history. Born in Budapest in 1921, Keleti began her gymnastics career early, winning her first Hungarian championship in 1940. However, authorities interrupted her promising athletic career by banning her from all sports due to her Jewish heritage.

During World War II, Keleti narrowly avoided deportation to Nazi death camps by hiding with false papers in a village south of Budapest. Tragically, her father and several other family members perished in Auschwitz. After the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, Keleti moved to Israel where she married had two children and continued her gymnastics career as a coach.

Agnes Keleti died on Thursday at Budapest Military Hospital due to heart failure and breathing difficulties. She would have turned 104 on January 9. Her legacy as a champion and survivor continues to inspire. Moreover, her remarkable achievements and resilience through personal and historical hardships cement her place in history.