13 Facts About Polina Astakhova

Polina Ghrighorievna Astakhova was a Soviet and Ukrainian artistic gymnast.

Polina Astakhova won ten medals at the 1956,1960 and 1964 Summer Olympics.

Polina Astakhova trained in the local gymnastics sports club Shakhtyor under Vladimir Alieksandrovitch Smirnov.

Polina Astakhova earned a nickname The Russian Birch in Western countries for her exceptional grace, and at the 1960 Olympics she was even called Madonna by the Italian journalists.

Between 1956 and 1966 Polina Astakhova was on top of many international and national competitions especially on the uneven bars apparatus event.

Polina Astakhova was a member of the USSR team between 1955 and 1968.

In 1954 Polina Astakhova competed in the USSR Championships for the first time and in a year she made the USSR National team at the 1956 Summer Olympics.

Polina Astakhova was the youngest team member and contributed to the team's gold.

Polina Astakhova was very disappointed by the accident and even did not compete that year, although in Rome she won the gold in the team competition and on the bars, silver on the floor and bronze in the all-around.

Polina Astakhova recovered after the 1961 European Championships, where she won gold medals on the bars and on beam.

Polina Astakhova became the first gymnast to defend her Olympic gold medal in the uneven bars event.

Polina Astakhova's feat was only matched in 2000 by Svetlana Khorkina and later in 2016 by Aliya Mustafina.

Polina Astakhova spent the last years of her life in Kyiv before her death at age 68 from pneumonia.