Simona Amânar

Simona Amânar is a Romanian former artistic gymnast, the 2000 Olympic all-around champion and a seven-time Olympic medallist with a vault skill named after her.

The vault she debuted at the 2000 Sydney Olympics — a two-and-a-half twisting laid-out Yurchenko — was formally named the 'Amanar' in her honour and has since become the most sought-after vault skill in women's gymnastics, attempted at every subsequent Olympic Games by medal contenders seeking the difficulty scores it carries. She joined Romania's senior national team in 1994, immediately contributing to gold-medal-winning squads at both the European and World Championships. At the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Amânar overcame a fall on balance beam during compulsories to post the highest all-around score of the optional round, though it wasn't enough to make the final on her own — she was controversially subbed in for teammate Alexandra Marinescu ahead of the all-around final, a decision her coach defended on merit, and she went on to share bronze with Lavinia Miloșovici. In the event finals she won gold in the vault and silver on floor, with a team bronze completing a four-medal Games. Amânar's signature moment came at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, where her devastating vault — a two-and-a-half twisting laid-out Yurchenko now officially named the 'Amanar' in her honour — helped power Romania to team gold. After training partner Andreea Răducan was stripped of the individual all-around title following a doping violation involving cold medication administered by team doctors, Amânar was elevated to the all-around gold medal, adding a floor bronze to finish her Olympic career with seven medals across two Games. She retired later that year, having helped Romania to four consecutive World team titles from 1994 to 1999, and was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 2007.

Powerful vaulter and floor specialist known for exceptional air sense and twisting ability

A cornerstone of Romania's dominant 1990s gymnastics program, with a vault skill still named after her

• Olympic all-around champion (2000)
• Olympic vault champion (1996)
• 2x Olympic team champion (1996 bronze, 2000 gold)
• 7x Olympic medallist, 10x World Championship medallist
• International Gymnastics Hall of Fame (2007)