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Olga Korbut is a Belarusian gymnast born in 1955 who became one of the most influential figures in gymnastics history. She matters because her innovative routines, expressive style, and performances at major international competitions helped transform gymnastics into a popular sport watched by millions around the world.
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Olga Valentinovna Korbut (born 16 May 1955) 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.
Korbut retired from gymnastics in 1977 at the age of 22, considered young for gymnasts of the period, but her influence and legacy in gymnastics were far-reaching. Korbut's 1972 Olympic performances are widely credited as redefining gymnastics, changing the sport from emphasising ballet and elegance to acrobatics, as well as changing gymnastics from a niche sport to one of the most popular sports in the world. She emigrated to the United States in 1991, where she now lives and trains gymnasts. She became a citizen in 2000.
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1955 birthsBBC Sports Personality World Sport Star of the Year winnersBelarusian emigrants to the United StatesBelarusian female artistic gymnastsFISU World University Games bronze medalists for the Soviet UnionFISU World University Games gold medalists for the Soviet UnionGymnasts at the 1972 Summer OlympicsGymnasts at the 1976 Summer OlympicsLiving peopleMedalists at the 1972 Summer OlympicsMedalists at the 1973 Summer Universiade