Polina Astakhova
Astakhova overcame tuberculosis as a child to become one of gymnastics' most-decorated champions, winning 9 Olympics medals in her career.
Induction Speech Video
After Astakhova retired from competition in 1968, she served as coach to the gold medal-winning Soviet women's team at the 1972 and 1980 Olympic Games.
Uprooted from her home during World War II, Astakhova overcame tuberculosis as a child to become one of gymnastics' most-decorated champions. Astakhova won 9 Olympics medals in her career. She was an Olympic champion with the Soviet women's team at Melbourne in 1956, Rome in 1960, and Tokyo in 1964. In Rome and Tokyo, she also won the overall bronze medals, gold medals on the uneven parallel bars and silver medals on the floor exercise. After Astakhova retired from competition in 1968, she served as coach to the gold medal-winning Soviet women's team at the 1972 and 1980 Olympic Games.
1956 OLYMPIC GAMES
- Gold Medalist & World Champion:
- Team
1958 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Gold Medalist & World Champion:
- Team
- Bronze Medalist:
- Uneven Bars
1960 OLYMPIC GAMES
- Gold Medalist & Olympic Champion:
- Team
- Uneven Bars
- Silver Medalist
- Floor Exercise
- Bronze Medalist
- All-Around
1964 OLYMPIC GAMES
- Gold Medalist & Olympic Champion:
- Team
- Uneven Bars
- Silver Medalist
- Floor Exercise
- Bronze Medalist
- All-Around
2002 INTERNATIONAL GYMNASTICS HALL OF FAME
- Inducted as a member of the Class of 2002