Agnes Keleti, a Hungarian-Israeli gymnast, Holocaust survivor, and the world’s oldest living Olympic gold medalist, passed away on Thursday, January 2, 2025, at the age of 103. She succumbed to complications from pneumonia after being hospitalized on Christmas Day.
Keleti’s remarkable journey was celebrated in a statement by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which highlighted her resilience and extraordinary achievements. IOC President Thomas Bach called her story “awe-inspiring,” stating, “Agnes Keleti demonstrated the power of determination and courage to overcome tragedy. Born to a Jewish family, she survived the Holocaust and went on to win ten Olympic medals, five of them gold, after World War II.”
Born in Budapest in 1921, Keleti became Hungary’s national gymnastics champion at 16. However, the outbreak of World War II derailed her athletic career. To escape Nazi persecution, Keleti assumed a false identity as a Christian maid while her father and other relatives perished in Auschwitz.
Despite these adversities, Keleti made her Olympic debut at the Helsinki Games in 1952 at the age of 31, earning one gold, one silver, and two bronze medals. Her stellar performance continued at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, where she claimed six more medals, including four golds, becoming the most decorated athlete of those Games.
Keleti often described her first gold medal, won in the floor exercise at Helsinki, as her most treasured. “It’s my favorite because the floor exercise is where I can be myself,” she said in an interview with Olympics.com before Tokyo 2020.
Keleti’s legacy as a pioneer and survivor remains an enduring inspiration in the world of sports and beyond. She is survived by her family, and her contributions to gymnastics and humanity will be cherished forever.
