Who is Olga Korbut? All about the Belarusian gymnast known for her famous backflip performed on uneven bars

Olga Korbut, a former artistic gymnast from Belarus, made her Olympic debut at the 1972 Munich Games at the age of 17, where she won three golds and a silver. She clinched golds in team all-around, floor exercise, and balance beam, with her silver medal coming in the uneven bars event. At the following quadrennial event in 1976 in Montreal, the then-21-year-old Korbut secured a gold and a silver in the team event and the balance beam apparatus, respectively.

Korbut was renowned for her famous "Dead Loop," aka "Korbut Flip" routine, performed on uneven bars. The maneuver was considered one of the most dangerous acts in gymnastics, as it carried a high risk of injury if not executed properly. The Dead Loop was a complex combination of a gymnast swinging backward from a handstand position on the bar, executing a backflip while releasing the bar, and then grasping it again.

The routine needed exceptional strength, coordination, and precise timing. The move was performed by Korbut at the Munich Olympics for the first time and became an instant hit. However, it was later banned by the International Gymnastics Federation due to the safety risks associated with it.

Olga Korbut was known for her exceptional gymnastics tactics back in the day, and the Dead Loop was not the only move she was known for. She is considered one of the trailblazers in transforming gymnastics from a niche sport into a popular global sport.

When did Olga Korbut take up gymnastics?

Olga Korbut started her gymnastics training at the tender age of seven, and six months later, she was canceled by her coaches, who deemed her "unpromising" at the time. However, she continued with her routines and represented her school at the city's gymnastics tournament where she caught the attention of then-Olympic champion Elena Volchetskaya.

Volchetskaya introduced her to Renald Knysh, a USSR-honored coach, and under his guidance, Korbut went on to achieve her Olympic dreams.

Olga Korbut's family and hometown

The gymnastics icon was born on May 16, 1955, in Grodno to Valentin and Valentina Korbut. She was the youngest of her four sisters. After moving to Grodno from Dubniaki after World War II, the city fueled her gymnastics ambitions and she went on to become one of the most decorated gymnasts of all time.

Korbut was married to Leonid Bortkevich from 1978 to 2000. They have a son, Richard Bortkevich. She married Alex Voinich in 2001.

The most notable achievements of Olga Korbut

Apart from winning six Olympic medals, the 69-year-old gymnast has also secured two World Championship titles and four silver medals. She is a five-time USSR champion in vault and uneven bars. In 1988, Olga Korbut added another feather to her crown when she became the first inductee from gymnastics into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame.