Hungarian Olympic Champion Gymnast Passes Away

Olympic, world and European champion gymnast Szilveszter Csollány died at the age of 51. The sportsman, who was infected with the new coronavirus, was hospitalized last November and after his condition deteriorated, he was put on a ventilator in early December.

Szilveszter Csollány was born on April 13, 1970 in Sopron, NW Hungary. His first senior success came at the 1990 European Championships in Lausanne, where he won the bronze medal in the rings. Two years later, at the Barcelona Olympics, he finished ninth with the team and sixth in the individual all-around and seventh on the pommel horse. In the same year, he won silver in the rings at the World Championships in Paris and bronze at the European Championships in Budapest.

After being banned in 1993 for his outspoken style after a dispute with the officials, he moved to the United States and coached youngsters first in St Louis and then in Sacramento. He worked in difficult conditions, preparing for the Atlanta Olympics on his own without a coach. Still, he won a silver medal in the rings.

His greatest successes were achieved in the rings. At the 1998 European Championships in St. Petersburg, Russia, he was finally able to stand on the top of the podium. Although he only won silver medals at the 1999 World and 2000 European Championships, he was the best at the Sydney Olympics, scoring 9.85 points and winning the gold medal with great confidence.