World’s Oldest Living Olympic Champion Dies at 100 in Slovenia

LJUBLJANA, Slovenia — Leon Stukelj, a gymnast who won six medals at the Olympics and was the world’s oldest living Olympic champion, died Monday, four days short of his 101st birthday.

Stukelj called an ambulance from his home, complaining of heart pains Sunday. When doctors arrived, his heart began failing and electric shocks failed to revive him. He died in the hospital.

He had maintained his health by working out on rings in his apartment and by taking hourlong walks in a park.

Stukelj won gold medals in the horizontal bar and all-around competition at the 1924 Paris Games. He won another gold in the rings four years later in Amsterdam. He also won two bronze medals at Amsterdam, in the all-around and team exercises, and a silver in the rings at Berlin in 1936.

One of his trademark moves is still known as the Stukelj maneuver.

Stukelj is Slovenia’s most internationally recognized citizen. Slovenian President Milan Kucan decorated him in 1996 with the country’s highest national honors.

“I was stunned by the news,” said 60-year-old Miro Cerar, who followed his sports idol, winning Olympic gold medals on the horse in 1964 and 1968.