Olga Korbut

The Sparrow from Minsk — changed gymnastics from a minor sport to a global phenomenon.

Olga Valentinovna Korbut was born in Grodno, Byelorussian SSR (now Belarus) in 1955. Her performances at the 1972 Munich Olympics — particularly the back flip on the balance beam that was not yet permitted under the Code of Points — transformed gymnastics from a niche sport into a global phenomenon. She was the most popular athlete at the 1972 Munich Olympics despite the shadow of the terrorist attack. She won four Olympic gold medals across 1972 and 1976. She defected to the United States after the Soviet Union's collapse. She is credited with inspiring a generation of gymnasts and growing the sport's global audience.

• Olympic Gold 4x (1972,1976)
• World Champion 2x
• Most popular athlete of 1972 Olympics