Ágnes Keleti: Olympic Champion To Be Buried in Israel?
Ágnes Keleti, the world’s longest-living Olympic Champion, passed away on 1 January after a short illness. The Hungarian athlete, who was hospitalised in Budapest’s military hospital after Christmas, ultimately succumbed to pneumonia. Despite doctors initially giving her little chance of survival, Keleti’s condition improved briefly before her untimely passing.
Keleti’s remarkable life story began in 1937, where she began her athletic journey and won her first national championship by 1940. However, her career was interrupted by the Holocaust, during which she barely survived by using falsified identity papers. Despite the adversity she faced, Keleti continued to excel in gymnastics after the war, amassing an impressive 46 national titles and becoming Hungary’s most decorated gymnast.
Her crowning achievements came at the 1952 and 1956 Olympics, where she won a total of 10 medals, including five golds. At the age of 35, she became the oldest gymnast to win an Olympic gold medal, a record that still stands today. Keleti’s legacy extended beyond her sporting achievements, earning her numerous accolades and honors throughout her life.
In the wake of her passing, there was speculation about where Keleti would be buried, given her Israeli citizenship. Israeli media outlets suggested that she should be buried in Israel, but her family decided to lay her to rest in Budapest. The burial is scheduled for 9 January, which would have been Keleti’s 104th birthday, at the Budapest Jewish Cemetery.
Ágnes Keleti may no longer be with us, but her legacy as a pioneering athlete and survivor will continue to inspire generations to come.
