Agnes Keleti, celebrated as the world’s oldest living Olympic gold medalist and a survivor of the Holocaust, passed away at the age of 103 in a Budapest hospital, as confirmed by her press official Tamas Roth to AFP.
Final Days and Legacy
Keleti was hospitalized last week due to pneumonia, with her son Rafael Biro-Keleti expressing hopes of celebrating her upcoming 104th birthday on January 9th. Her life, marked by both unimaginable hardship and extraordinary achievement, has been likened to a dramatic Hollywood script.
Olympic Success Against All Odds
Keleti’s athletic career was as remarkable as her survival during the Holocaust. She secured ten Olympic medals, including five golds, at the 1952 Helsinki and 1956 Melbourne Olympics, all after turning 30, an age when most gymnasts had retired. Her motivation was not merely to win medals but to explore the world beyond Hungary’s Iron Curtain.
From Persecution to Podium
Born Agnes Klein in Budapest in 1921, she adopted the surname Keleti for its Hungarian sound. Despite being barred from sports due to her Jewish heritage in 1940, she survived the Holocaust by obtaining false documents and hiding in the countryside, where she secretly continued her training. The war took a heavy toll on her family, with her father and relatives perishing in Auschwitz, while her mother and sister were saved by Raoul Wallenberg.
Life After the Olympics
Post-1956 Melbourne Olympics, amid Hungary’s political turmoil, Keleti chose not to return home but instead settled in Israel, where she married and raised a family. She contributed to sports education as a physical education teacher and coach for Israel’s national gymnastics team. Keleti eventually returned to Hungary in 2015 after a long absence.
A Life Well Lived
Reflecting on her life, Keleti expressed gratitude for the recognition she received, noting the profound impact of her achievements and survival story on people worldwide. Her journey from the darkest moments of history to Olympic glory remains an enduring testament to resilience and the indomitable human spirit.
