Gymnastics Greatest Highs and Lows That Shook the World
Gymnastics is an extreme sport. One second, a beautiful routine gets a perfect score, and the next, a tiny slip sends shockwaves around the arena. Over the years, it has produced tragic lows and breathtaking victories, which shows that anything is possible when athletes push the boundaries of human potential. Here are some moments that shaped gymnastics history forever.
Larisa Latynina’s Medal Record (1956-1964)
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This Soviet gymnast collected 18 Olympic medals across three Games, a record that remained untouched in any sport until Michael Phelps finally surpassed it in 2012. She competed in an era before modern training methods or scoring technology but still delivered routines so polished that they’re studied even today.
Nadia Comăneci’s Perfect 10 (1976)
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Nadia Comănec was a 14-year-old Romanian gymnast who made history in the uneven bars event at the 1976 Montreal Olympics by scoring the first-ever perfect 10. The display glitched and showed 1.00 because the system wasn’t built for perfection, but she didn’t stop there and racked up six more perfect 10s and three gold medals in one of the most iconic performances in Olympic history.
Mary Lou Retton’s All-Around Gold (1984)
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Mary Lou Retton had two vaults that scored perfect 10s and edged out Romanian rival Ecaterina Szabo by 0.05 points to become the first American woman to win the Olympic all-around title. What made it even more unbelievable was that she had knee surgery five weeks before the event!
Peter Vidmar’s Perfect Pommel Horse (1984)
Credit: US Olympic & Paralympic Museum
Pommel Horse isn’t the event that gets the biggest cheers, but Peter Vidmar made sure it got a standing ovation in 1984. With a perfect 10 on his final routine, he clinched team gold for the U.S. men, a first in its history. Even after that, he kept going and won all-around silver and gold on a pommel horse.
Shannon Miller’s Medal Haul (1992)
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Shannon Miller walked away at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics with five medals, the most by any U.S. athlete at those Games, but that was just the beginning. In 1996, she added two golds, including a historic team victory with the Magnificent Seven. With seven Olympic medals, she remains one of the most decorated American gymnasts in history.
Kerri Strug’s Vault on Injured Ankle (1996)
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With the U.S. women’s team gold on the line at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Strug had to vault despite severely injuring her ankle. She sprinted, launched off the vault, twisted through the air, and stuck the landing on one foot before collapsing in pain, wounded but victorious. That vault secured the first-ever team gold for the U.S. women.
Simone Biles’ Record-Breaking Performance (2024)
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Simone Biles has spent most of her career making the impossible look easy. She became the first gymnast to win all-around gold in non-consecutive Olympics at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Her jaw-dropping Yurchenko double pike vault, a skill so difficult that others rarely attempt, left commentators speechless.
Aly Raisman’s Floor Routine Gold (2012)
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Aly Raisman’s signature power tumbling and near-flawless execution clinched the all-around team title for the U.S. before sealing her individual gold medal on floor exercise. The routine perfectly combines artistry and athleticism with sky-high tumbling passes. She returned in 2016 to prove that she was built for the big stage.
Dominique Dawes Slipped On The Floor (1996)
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Dominique Dawes was a powerhouse on the 1996 U.S. Olympic team, but her shot at an individual floor medal didn’t go as planned. She started strong, but her foot slipped on the mat during one of her tumbling passes, which sent her to the ground. Though she recovered and finished her routine with poise, the mistake cost her a medal.
Rebecca Bross’ Knee Injury (2011)
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The 2011 U.S. Gymnastics Championships took a brutal turn when Rebecca Bross attempted a simple vault landing, and her knee buckled underneath her. The moment was as painful to watch as it was to endure. She collapsed immediately while clutching her leg and was carried off the floor.
Elena Mukhina’s Injury (1979)
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As a rising Soviet star, Elena Mukhina had talent, artistry, and the potential to dominate at the 1980 Olympics. Still, she was pushed beyond safe limits after being pressured to include the risky Thomas Salto in her floor routine. On July 3, 1980, two weeks before the Moscow Olympics, she under-rotated the skill during training and landed on her chin, snapping her spine and leaving her quadriplegic for life. Her injury became one of the most tragic moments in gymnastics history.
McKayla Maroney’s Vault Mishap (2012)
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McKayla Maroney was undeniably the best vaulter in the world in 2012. She had already struck one of the most excellent vaults in Olympic history during team finals, so gold seemed inevitable when she entered the vault event final. However, on her second attempt, she landed on her backside, and instead of gold, she took silver.
Kara Eaker Beam Mount Fall at the World Championships (2018)
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At the 2018 World Championships, Kara Eaker, known for her graceful and challenging beam work, went to jump onto the beam, miscalculated, and slipped right off before even starting her routine. While she recovered quickly and continued, the error affected her overall score and was a rare fluke for such a polished gymnast.
Simone Biles’ Withdrawal (2021)
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Simone Biles, the most dominant gymnast in history, walked onto the Tokyo Olympic stage expecting to sweep the competition. Then, during the team final, something was off. She balked mid-air on a vault, lost control of her twisting, and made a terrifyingly low landing. Moments later, she withdrew from the competition, revealing she had the “twisties.”
Jordan Chiles’ Medal Revocation (2024)
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Jordan Chiles was initially awarded the bronze medal in the floor exercise final after a successful scoring inquiry by Team USA. However, the Romanian team appealed the timing of the inquiry and argued that it was filed four seconds past the one-minute deadline. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled in favor of Romania, which led to Chiles’ bronze being revoked and awarded instead to Romanian gymnast Ana Bărbosu. USA Gymnastics has since filed appeals on Chiles’ behalf, including with the Swiss Federal Tribunal.