Leon Štukelj facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Leon Štukelj |
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Štukelj in 1958 displaying his six Olympic medals
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| Country represented |  Yugoslavia |
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| Born | 12 November 1898 Novo Mesto, Carniola, Austria-Hungary (now Slovenia) |
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| Died | 8 November 1999 (aged 100) Maribor, Slovenia |
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| Discipline | Men's artistic gymnastics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Leon Štukelj (born November 12, 1898 – died November 8, 1999) was an amazing Slovenian gymnast. He was a true champion who won many medals for Yugoslavia. He is remembered as one of the greatest athletes in Slovenian history. Štukelj competed at the highest level for many years, from the World Championships in Ljubljana in 1922 until the Olympic Games in Berlin in 1936. This was when he finished his competitive gymnastics career.
He competed in seven big international events. He won a total of twenty medals! That's eight gold, six silver, and six bronze medals. At the Olympic Games alone, he won six medals. He got two gold medals in Paris in 1924. He also won one gold and two bronze medals in Amsterdam in 1928. Finally, he earned a silver medal in Berlin in 1936.
About Leon Štukelj
Štukelj was born in Novo Mesto, a town that was part of Austria-Hungary at the time. Today, Novo Mesto is in Slovenia.
Life After Sports
In 1927, Štukelj finished his studies and earned a law degree. From a young age, he was an active member of the Slovenian Sokol athletic movement. This group focused on physical training and national pride.
After he stopped competing in gymnastics, he became a judge. He first worked in his hometown of Novo Mesto. Later, he moved to Lenart and then to Maribor. He lived in Maribor for the rest of his life.
After World War II, Štukelj faced some challenges. He had different ideas from the new government in Yugoslavia. Because of these disagreements, he was briefly held and then released. However, he was not allowed to be a judge anymore. He then worked as a legal assistant for the rest of his career.
Later Recognition
Leon Štukelj was honored at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Atlanta in 1996. He was the oldest living Olympic gold medalist at that time. He even shook hands with the President of the United States, Bill Clinton. He also helped present medals to the winners of the men's team gymnastics competition.
His one-hundredth birthday in 1998 was a huge celebration in Slovenia. Štukelj stayed active and exercised regularly almost until his death. He passed away just four days before his one-hundred and first birthday.
Today, a sports hall in Novo Mesto is named after him. This hall is mainly used by a local basketball team. There is also a University Sports Hall on the campus of the University of Maribor named in his honor.
Hall of Fame Achievements
Leon Štukelj's amazing career led to him being recognized in two important Halls of Fame:
- (1997) – He was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame. This means he is considered one of the greatest gymnasts in the world.
- (2011) – He was inducted into the Slovenian Athletes Hall of Fame. This honors him as one of Slovenia's top athletes ever.
See also
In Spanish: Leon Štukelj para niños
