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Olga Valentinovna Korbut is a Belarusian retired gymnast who competed for the Soviet Union. Nicknamed the "Sparrow from Minsk," she won four gold medals and two silver medals at the Summer Olympic Games, in which she competed in 1972 and 1976 for the Soviet team, and was the inaugural inductee to the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 1988.
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entertainment · Soviet gymnast; American instructor since 1991 · artistic gymnast · actor · also Olga Korbut, Olga Valentinovna Korbut, Korbut
Born 16 May 1955 · Q221575
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“He told me that my performance in Munich did more for reducing the political tension during the Cold War between our two countries than the embassies were able to do in five years.”
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Sportskeeda: Who is Olga Korbut? All about the Belarusian gymnast known for her famous backflip performed on uneven bars
Sportskeeda: 5 famous female gymnasts who revolutionized the sport ft. Olga Korbut, Simone Biles
Korbut was named by Carnegie Corporation of New York as an honoree of the Great Immigrants Award
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Reuters: On this day: Born May 16, 1955: Olga Korbut, Soviet gymnast
Korbut appeared on a TV show, in which she again spoke out about several incidents of sexual assault by her coach
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“We were not just potential gymnasts, but future concubines for himself.”
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Hindustan Times: I’m not broke: Gymnast Olga Korbut after selling off her Olympic gold medals
Yahoo: Gymnast Olga Korbut's gold medal from 1972 Games nets $66K
International Business Times: Olga Korbut Is Broke: Former Soviet Olympic Gymnast Auctions Medals For Financial Security
Hindustan Times: Olga Korbut, to save her from hunger, sells Munich Olympics gymnastics medals
BBC: Top Soviet Olympic gymnast Olga Korbut sells off medals
eng.belta: Olga Korbut's Olympic medals fetch over $200,000 at auction
NBC Sports: All but one of Olga Korbut’s Olympic medals fetch $230,000 at auction
NBC Sports: Olga Korbut puts 5 Olympic medals up for auction
Korbut sold her 1972 and 1976 Olympic medals, among 32 lots (including two golds and a silver from the Munich Olympics), which fetched $333,500 at Heritage Auctions
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The Independent: Olga Korbut, Jesse Owens, Michael Phelps: Which Olympian is the greatest?
With her opponent, Darva Conger, winning by unanimous decision
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Moved to Scottsdale, Arizona, to become head coach at Scottsdale Gymnastics and Cheerleading
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The public voted "Olga Korbut charms the world" No
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The same year she became a naturalized U
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Spoke out about the sexual assault and rape she had suffered at the hands of her coach, Renald Knysh, which he denied
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And her family immigrated to the United States, prompted by concerns about the aftereffects of the Chernobyl disaster on Belarus
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Awarded International Gymnastics Hall of Fame (1988).
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Korbut became the first gymnast inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame
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Became a teacher, and retired from gymnastic competition
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At the age of 22, considered young for gymnasts of the period, but her influence and legacy in gymnastics were far-reaching
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Won the Russian and World Student (i
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Awarded Associated Press Athlete of the Year (1972).
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And 1976 for the Soviet team, and was the inaugural inductee to the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 1988
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The move has since been made illegal in the Olympic Code of Points
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Born 1955-05-16.
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