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Born Ágnes Klein on January 9, 1921, in Budapest, she began her gymnastics training at the age of 4 and became the Hungarian National Champion by 16.
Her athletic career was interrupted by World War II and the cancellation of the 1940 and 1944 Olympics. In 1941, due to her Jewish heritage, she was expelled from her gymnastics club. To survive the Holocaust, Keleti assumed a false identity and worked as a maid in the Hungarian countryside. Tragically, her father and other relatives perished at Auschwitz, while her mother and sister survived with the help of Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg.
After the war, Keleti resumed her gymnastics career. She made her Olympic debut at the 1952 Helsinki Games at the age of 31, securing a gold medal in the floor exercise, along with a silver and two bronze medals. At the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, she became the most successful athlete, winning four gold and two silver medals. Notably, at 35, she became the oldest female gymnast to win Olympic gold.
During the 1956 Olympics, the Soviet Union invaded Hungary. Keleti sought political asylum in Australia and later emigrated to Israel in 1957. In Israel, she contributed significantly to gymnastics, working as a coach and physical education instructor at Tel Aviv University and the Wingate Institute for Sports in Netanya. She coached Israel's national gymnastics team well into the 1990s.
Keleti's legacy extends beyond her athletic achievements; she is remembered for her resilience and contributions to gymnastics. She was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 2002 and received numerous accolades throughout her life.
With information from Olympics.com and Wikipedia.
