Ágnes Keleti, a Holocaust Survivor and the Oldest Living Olympic Medalist, Passes Away at 103

BUDAPEST, Hungary — Ágnes Keleti, a Holocaust survivor and heralded as the oldest living Olympic medal winner, passed away at the age of 103. Her death was reported by the Hungarian state news agency on Thursday morning. She had been hospitalized with pneumonia since December 25, marking a concerning decline in her health.

Keleti’s remarkable journey began in Budapest, where she was born Ágnes Klein in 1921. Throughout her life, she faced unimaginable hardships, losing her father and other relatives during the Holocaust. However, she emerged not just as a survivor but also as one of the most successful Jewish Olympic athletes in history. Her Olympic accolades include an impressive total of 10 medals, out of which five were gold, won during the 1952 Helsinki Games and the 1956 Melbourne Games.

Speaking to The Associated Press ahead of her 100th birthday, Keleti reflected on her long life, stating, “These 100 years felt to me like 60. I live well. And I love life. It’s great that I’m still healthy.” This sentiment echoes her resilience, a trait she developed early on when she was forced to go into hiding due to her Jewish heritage during World War II.

Keleti’s athletic career faced interruptions in the wake of global conflict, including the cancellations of the 1940 and 1944 Olympics. Although excluded from her gymnastics team in 1941, her determination did not waver. She concealed her identity and survived as a maid in the rural landscape of Hungary. After the war, she set her sights on the 1948 London Olympics but was thwarted by an ankle injury just before the event.

At the age of 31, Keleti made her long-awaited Olympic debut in Helsinki, where she achieved a gold medal in floor exercise along with a silver and two bronze medals. Her performances in Melbourne in 1956, where she dominated with four golds and two silvers, solidified her reputation in the sports world. Notably, this was also the year when the Soviet Union invaded Hungary, prompting her to seek political asylum in Australia before relocating to Israel.

In Israel, Keleti continued to contribute to gymnastics as a coach for the national Olympic team until the 1990s, leaving a lasting legacy. Her life story, marked by both triumph and tragedy, remains an inspiring testament to resilience.