Leon Štukelj

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Leon Štukelj (1958)

Leon Štukelj (born November 12, 1898 in Novo mesto , Austria-Hungary ; † November 8, 1999 in Maribor , Slovenia ) was a Yugoslav gymnast .

After the First World War, Štukelj became a citizen of the new state of Yugoslavia. For over 15 years he was one of the world's best in artistic gymnastics. He achieved his breakthrough at the 1922 World Championships in Ljubljana . He won 20 medals in seven major international competitions, including eight gold and six silver and bronze medals. At the 1924 Olympics in Paris , he won two gold medals (all-around and high bar) at the Games in 1928 in Amsterdam followed a gold (rings) and two bronze medals (all-around and team), and end of his career at the 1936 Games in Berlin won he once again got a silver medal on the rings.

In 1927 Leon Štukelj finished his law studies. After the end of his career he worked as a judge in his hometown Novo mesto . He later moved to Lenart and then to the neighboring city of Maribor , where he stayed until the end of his life.

During the 1990s, Leon Štukelj was considered the oldest living Olympic champion and was a welcome guest at sporting events and on sports broadcasts. He was also present as a guest of honor at the opening of the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta and was welcomed by US President Bill Clinton . In 1997 Leon Štukelj was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame .

His 100th birthday was celebrated with a big celebration in his home country. Until shortly before his death a few days before his 101st birthday, Štukelj remained physically active. The sports hall in his hometown Novo mesto, which is mainly used by the local basketball team, now bears his name. In Germany, the memory of him is kept alive by the name of the gymnastics magazine LEON *, which was named after the Slovenian gymnastics Olympic champion when it was founded in 2000.

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Štukelj, Leon
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Yugoslav gymnast
DATE OF BIRTH November 12, 1898
PLACE OF BIRTH Novo mesto , Austria-Hungary
DATE OF DEATH November 8, 1999
Place of death Maribor , Slovenia