Olga Korbut
Olga Korbut (Belarus, Russia) dazzled and captivated audiences at the 1972 Olympic Games held in Munich, Germany. Her open display of emotion, in contrast to the more subdued or serious demeanor of other athletes from Russia and Eastern bloc countries, made her a crowd favorite. At age 17, Olga was one of the younger gymnasts and her performance helped usher in a new wave of even younger teenage Olympic gymnasts. Olga's daring acrobatics also made her a favorite. She was one of the first persons ever to do a backward somersault on the beam in competition, and the first to do a standing backward somersault on bars. At the 1972 Games, she won three gold medals (team, floor, balance beam) and a silver medal ( bars).