Olga Korbut

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games
SexFemale
Full nameOlga Valentinovna•Korbut (-Bortkevich, -Voynich)
Used nameOlga•Korbut
Nick/petnamesThe Sparrow from Minsk
Original nameОльга Валентиновна•Корбут (-Борткевич, -Войнич)
Born16 May 1955 in Hrodna, Hrodna (BLR)
Measurements152 cm / 39 kg
AffiliationsVS Hrodna, Hrodna (BLR)
NOC Soviet Union
Nationality Belarus
Medals OG
Gold 4
Silver 2
Bronze 0
Total 6

Biography

Olga Korbut burst onto the world’s gymnastics scene at the 1972 Olympics in Munich, amazing experts with her flexibility and daring moves. A fall on the uneven parallel bars dropped her to seventh overall in the all-around individual. However, she won three gold medals; two individual in the apparatus finals (balance beam and floor exercises), and one with the Soviet all-around team. Korbut never defeated her teammate, Lyudmila Turishcheva, but she was the darling of the fans and the media for her courage to try new moves, and her willing smile. She later won the 1973 Universiade all-around title, and was second at the 1973 Europeans and 1974 World Championships in all-around. She competed at the 1976 Olympics, winning a gold medal in the team event and a silver on the balance beam. Korbut retired from competition in 1977 and later settled in Atlanta, Georgia.

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal Nationality As
1972 Summer Olympics Artistic Gymnastics (Gymnastics) URS BLR Olga Korbut
Individual All-Around, Women (Olympic) 7
Team All-Around, Women (Olympic) Soviet Union 1 Gold
Floor Exercise, Women (Olympic) 1 Gold
Horse Vault, Women (Olympic) 5
Uneven Bars, Women (Olympic) =2 Silver
Balance Beam, Women (Olympic) 1 Gold
1976 Summer Olympics Artistic Gymnastics (Gymnastics) URS BLR Olga Korbut
Individual All-Around, Women (Olympic) 5
Team All-Around, Women (Olympic) Soviet Union 1 Gold
Floor Exercise, Women (Olympic) =17 r1/1
Horse Vault, Women (Olympic) 7 r1/1
Uneven Bars, Women (Olympic) 5
Balance Beam, Women (Olympic) 2 Silver

Special Notes