Ágnes Keleti, the queen of gymnasts is laid to rest

Five-time Hungarian Olympic champion gymnast, former member of the university’s sports club, TFSE, and the university’s late teacher, Ágnes Keleti, who passed away at the age of 103, was buried in Budapest on Thursday according to the Jewish tradition.

World-renowned gymnast, Ágnes Keleti, who was bound by a thousand strands to the Hungarian University of Sports Science (TF), was laid to rest at the Kozmai Street Israelite Cemetery, Budapest on Thursday.

She won a total of five Olympic gold medals, the first one as a member of the university’s sport club, TFSE in 1952. Her funeral, which was held on her birthday, was attended by many.

Since 13 April 2019 until her death, she was the world's oldest living Olympic champion. She did not only study gymnastics at the university where she later became a teacher, but also visited her alma mater on several occasions for various events, from which she could not and, most importantly, did not want to leave it until the end of her life.

Eltemettek Keleti Agnest a torna kiralynojet 4

Nothing proves better how much greatness has been lost in Hungarian and international elite sport than the fact that hundreds of people, including public figures, politicians, sportsmen and sports leaders paid their respects to the memory of Ágnes Keleti at the ceremony.

Those who were present included Zsolt Gyulay, President of the Hungarian Olympic Committee (MOB), Ádám Schmidt, State Secretary for Sport, Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky, Minister of Defence, Pál Schmitt, former President of Hungary and MOB, Zoltán Magyar, President of the Hungarian Gymnastics Federation, Yael Arad, President of the Israeli Olympic Committee, Balázs Fürjes, Hungarian member of the Olympic Programme Committee of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), who delivered the farewell message of IOC President Thomas Bach at the funeral.

The ceremony was attended by university members including TF’s Rector Professor Tamás Sterbenz, Professor Lajos Mocsai, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Dr Zsuzsanna Kalmár, Head of the Department of Gymnastics, Dance and Aerobics, Krisztina Nemerkényiné Hidegkuti, Head of the TF Workshop and Zsuzsa Mikolovics, staff member of the Alumni and Career Office.

Ágnes Keleti was the Sportswoman of the Nation, Honorary Citizen of Budapest, holder of the International Olympic Committee Medal, member of the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame, holder of Lifetime Achievement Award of the Hungarian Sports Journalists Association.

But for us, however, she will always remain Ági néni, the queen of gymnasts.

Photo by Péter Papajcsik and Krisztina Nemerkényiné Hidegkuti

 

2025. Hungarian University of Sports Science.
All rights reserved.