RIP Agnes Keleti! Life has a way of throwing curveballs when you least expect it, but sometimes those challenges shape people into legends. That’s exactly what happened with Agnes Keleti. Born on January 9, 1921, in Budapest, she grew up in a Jewish family, thriving in sports and music. Gymnastics, swimming, and playing the cello—she was a kid balancing beauty and strength with every move. But then, everything changed in 1944, when the Nazis occupied Hungary. Her world turned upside down in an instant.

Her father was deported to Auschwitz, and Keleti was left struggling for her life. Agnes did what she had to: she pretended to be a Christian so that she could work for any company that offered her employment. In some way, she survived, with no more than hope and the desire to live. But here’s the twist: Her life took a U-turn when she restarted her life.

At an age when most gymnasts retire, she stepped back onto the world stage and owned it like a champion. Could you even begin to fathom the possibility of earning your living at 31, proving people wrong who proclaimed, “You are too old” to race? She had the eyes of the world upon her when she won her first Olympic gold at the Helsinki Games. But it doesn’t stop there. In 1956, at 35, she went to the Melbourne Olympics and became the oldest female gymnast to win the gold. Four gold medals later, she has set herself on the apex of the world.

And here’s the kicker: she did not sit idly and do nothing after that. Arriving in Israel in 1957, she played a significant role in the development of gymnastics within the country and for several subsequent decades. Unfortunately, the world lost a former gymnast, Agnes Keleti, on January 2, 2025, at 103 years of age. She had been admitted to the hospital in the final weeks of her life because of pneumonia.

She had lived through unimaginable hardship and won 10 Olympic medals, including five golds. And in that, Keleti’s story continues to inspire everyone and challenges everyone to keep on going. The gymnastics world could not believe that, and the fans were saddened by the loss of the legends.

Fans mourn the loss of Olympic star Agnes Keleti

Fans still reeling from the loss shared their heartfelt tributes. One fan said, “Her memory is. I wish I knew that strong, amazing lady. We’d all benefit from knowing her story.” Another expressed, “RIP Agnes Keleti,” while yet another simply said, “God bless and may her memory be a blessing.” 

After the war, Agnes Keleti had to rebuild her life in some way. She was unable to participate in the 1948 London Olympics due to an injury to her ankle; however, she came back stronger and prevailed at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. She did not stop there. Retiring from sports, she continued to work in gymnastics as a coach and taught physical education at Tel Aviv University and the Wingate Institute for 34 years. She never lost the fire in her, and she continued to motivate people with her love for the sport up to her old age.

Before the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Keleti shared some kind words about Simone Biles, saying, “I hope for her that everything she has planned will get realized in this Olympics.” Unfortunately for Simone, things did not turn out as planned. She had to withdraw from the team competition when she had “the twisties.”

One more fan wrote, “One of the most successful Olympic athletes ever and the longest lived, despite efforts to murder her. May her memory be for a blessing and an inspiration.” Another simply said, “May her memory be for a blessing.” With everything she overcame and the legacy she left, she’ll never be forgotten!