Olympic Gymnast
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An Olympic Gymnast is an elite-level gymnast who is an Olympic athlete (who has qualified for and competed in an Olympic Games).
- AKA: Elite Gymnast, Olympic-level Gymnast, World-class Gymnast.
- Context:
- They can (typically) have gone through a Long-term Athletic Development.
- They can (typically) have started as a Child Gymnast.
- They can (often) involve Post-Olympic Career Transitions, including coaching, judging, or pursuits outside of gymnastics.
- They can range from being a First-time Olympian (competing in their first Olympic Games) to being a Multiple-time Olympian (participating in several Olympic cycles).
- They can range from being a Medal-winning Olympian to being a Non-medalist Olympian, both contributing significantly to their sport and national teams.
- They can require Elite-level Performance in terms of skill, strength, flexibility, and artistry in gymnastics.
- They can involve Specialized Event Focus, with some gymnasts excelling in specific apparatus or events, while others are all-around competitors.
- They can involve Olympic Qualification, meeting stringent criteria to be selected for national teams and qualify for the Olympic Games.
- They can involve Cultural Icon Status, with some Olympic gymnasts becoming national or international celebrities.
- ...
- Example(s):
- Multiple-time Olympians such as Simone Biles (1997-), who started gymnastics at age 6 in 2003 and competed in 2016 and 2020 Olympics.
- Medal-winning Olympians like Nadia Comaneci (1961-), who began gymnastics at age 6 in 1967 and achieved the first perfect 10 in Olympic gymnastics in 1976.
- Specialized Event Olympians such as Aliya Mustafina (1994-), who began gymnastics at age 6 in 2000 and is known for her exceptional performances on uneven bars.
- All-around Olympians like Kohei Uchimura (1989-), who started gymnastics at age 3 in 1992 and dominated men's all-around competition for multiple Olympic cycles.
- Mary Lou Retton (1968-), who began gymnastics at age 8 in 1976 and won gold in the 1984 Olympics.
- Svetlana Khorkina (1979-), who began gymnastics at age 4 in 1983 and won multiple Olympic medals.
- Olga Korbut (1955-), who started gymnastics at age 8 in 1961 and competed in the 1972 and 1976 Olympics.
- Gabby Douglas (1995-), who began gymnastics at age 6 in 2002 and won gold in the 2012 Olympics.
- Vitaly Scherbo (1972-), who started gymnastics at age 7 in 1979 and won 6 gold medals in the 1992 Olympics.
- Bart Conner (1958-), who started gymnastics at age 10 in 1968 and competed in the 1976 and 1984 Olympics.
- Anton Viktorovich Fokin (1982-), who competed in the 2008 Beijing Olympics at age 26 and won a bronze medal in the parallel bars.
- Yordan Yovchev (1973-), who competed in his first Olympics in 1992 at age 19 and his last Olympics in 2012 at age 39.
- ...
- Counter-Example(s):
- Elite Non-Olympic Gymnasts who compete at high levels but do not qualify for or participate in the Olympic Games.
- Elementary-School Gymnasts who do not continue after moving to high-school
- Olympic High Jumper who ...
- See: Gymnastics, Olympic Games, Elite Sports, Child Gymnast, Sports Psychology, Athletic Career, Early Specialization, Training Intensity, Skill Mastery, Competitive Progression, Physical Demand, Life Dream, Personal Motivation.