Leon Štukelj Biography

Leon Stukelj was a legendary Slovene gymnast. He dominated the arena of gymnastics for nearly 14 years: from the 1922 World Championships in Ljubljana to 1936 Berlin Olympic Games, he became the top Slovene athlete and a giant of world gymnastics. This legendary Olympian won 20 international medals: eight gold, six silver and six bronze, through his participation in seven major international competitions, of which six medals were claimed at the Olympics. This brains-and-brawn personality worked as a lawyer before venturing into gymnastics and resumed his law profession after retiring from the sport after the 1936 Berlin Olympics. He lived a long-life of more than 100 years, and at one time he was the oldest living Olympic gold medalist—a record he held for over ten years. His sportsmanship and phenomenal performances at the Olympic Games were appreciated with several honors, including his induction into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame and Slovenian Athletes Hall of Fame.