Top 10 Artistic Gymnastics Olympics Champions of All Time

In the grand theater of the Olympic Games, few sports capture the intersection of power, precision, and poise quite like artistic gymnastics. It’s a discipline where every leap, every twist, and every dismount tells a story—etched not just in chalk and sweat, but in legacy.

From Cold War icons who competed under the weight of nations, to modern marvels who defied gravity under the brightest lights, these are the titans of the sport. The men and women who didn’t just reach the podium—they redefined what it meant to be Olympic champions.

This site uses affiliate links. We may earn a commission when you click at no cost to you.

So as we look back through the decades, we honor the 10 greatest to ever grace the mat, the bars, the beam, and the vault. These are the Top 10 Artistic Gymnastics Olympics Champions of All Time, a celebration of mastery on the world’s biggest stage.

#10. Svetlana Khorkina

All-Around Gymnast | 5’5″ | Russia
Olympic Medals: 7 total (2 gold, 2 silver, 3 bronze)

Svetlana Khorkina wasn’t just a gymnast—she was a statement. Towering by gymnastics standards at 5’5″, she redefined the sport with a combination of elegance, innovation, and unwavering confidence. Representing Russia in three Olympics (1996, 2000, 2004), Khorkina claimed two gold medals on the uneven bars, a discipline she revolutionized with moves that now bear her name.

Her artistic flair and commanding presence made her a global star—and a polarizing figure at times.

But whether you loved her boldness or critiqued it, one thing is certain: Khorkina helped usher in a new era of gymnastics, one where personality met performance, and style stood shoulder to shoulder with substance.

#9. Kohei Uchimura

All-Around Gymnast | 5’3″ | Japan
Olympic Medals: 7 total (3 gold, 4 silver)

Kohei Uchimura didn’t just win—he mastered the art of consistency. Nicknamed “King Kohei,” he’s widely regarded as the greatest male all-around gymnast of the modern era. Representing Japan in three Olympics (2008, 2012, 2016), Uchimura captured back-to-back all-around golds in London and Rio, showcasing flawless technique and near-impossible calm under pressure.

Where others dazzled in flashes, Uchimura delivered precision across all six apparatuses, time and again.

His 2016 team gold was a crowning moment for Japan—a return to gymnastics glory led by a man who made excellence look routine. With seven Olympic medals and two all-around titles, his legacy is etched in quiet dominance and technical brilliance.

#8. Vera Čáslavská

All-Around Gymnast | 5’3″ | Czechoslovakia
Olympic Medals: 11 total (7 gold, 4 silver)

Vera Čáslavská was more than an Olympic champion—she was a symbol of grace, resilience, and quiet defiance. Competing for Czechoslovakia in the 1960s, she became the first woman to win back-to-back all-around golds (1964, 1968), a feat made even more powerful given the political turbulence of her time.

Her performances in Mexico City came just weeks after the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia, and her silent protest on the podium—turning her head away during the Soviet anthem—became an iconic image of athletic courage.

But beyond the symbolism was the substance: Čáslavská was a technical powerhouse, elegant on beam and explosive on vault, capturing seven golds in just two Olympics. Her story lives on as one of the most unforgettable chapters in gymnastics—and Olympic—history.

#7. Boris Shakhlin

All-Around Gymnast | 5’7″ | Soviet Union
Olympic Medals: 13 total (7 gold, 4 silver, 2 bronze)

Boris Shakhlin was the steely embodiment of Soviet athletic dominance during the Cold War. Competing in the 1956, 1960, and 1964 Olympics, Shakhlin brought a level of intensity and polish that helped define men’s gymnastics for a generation.

His performances in Rome in 1960, where he won four gold medals, remain a landmark achievement in Olympic history.

Disciplined, precise, and unfazed by pressure, Shakhlin was revered for his work on the pommel horse and parallel bars, but he also stood out for his complete command of all-around competition.

His 13 total medals stood as a record for a male gymnast for decades, and his contributions helped vault the Soviet Union to the top of the gymnastics world. Simply put, Boris Shakhlin was a technician with the heart of a warrior.

You’re absolutely right—thank you for the correction. Here’s the updated and accurate bio for Simone Biles:

#6. Simone Biles

All-Around Gymnast | 4’8″ | United States
Olympic Medals: 11 total (7 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze)

Simone Biles didn’t just raise the bar—she launched it into the stratosphere. At just 4’8″, Biles delivered a blend of raw power, breathtaking precision, and boundary-pushing difficulty that revolutionized women’s gymnastics.

With seven Olympic golds and 11 total medals spanning three Games (2016, 2020, 2024), her dominance is matched only by her resilience.

From her iconic all-around triumph in Rio to her emotional comeback in Tokyo, and her emphatic return in Paris, Biles has continued to push the sport forward on her own terms. With multiple skills named after her and a legacy that transcends the mat, she’s not just the most decorated American gymnast—she’s a global icon of excellence and empowerment.

#5. Sawao Kato

All-Around Gymnast | 5’5″ | Japan
Olympic Medals: 12 total (8 gold, 3 silver, 1 bronze)

Sawao Kato was the quiet assassin of Olympic gymnastics—precise, unshakable, and relentlessly consistent. Representing Japan across three Olympic Games (1968, 1972, 1976), Kato helped lead his country through its golden era in men’s gymnastics, amassing eight gold medals, the most by any male gymnast in history.

He thrived in the all-around, claiming back-to-back Olympic titles in ’68 and ’72, and anchored a Japanese squad that dominated team competitions with clinical execution.

Kato wasn’t flashy—he was flawless, the kind of gymnast who made perfection look routine. His performances set the standard for Japan’s national program and laid the foundation for decades of excellence. When it came to delivering under pressure, few did it better than Sawao Kato.

#4. Vitaly Scherbo

All-Around Gymnast | 5’5″ | Unified Team/Belarus
Olympic Medals: 10 total (6 gold, 4 bronze)

Vitaly Scherbo delivered one of the most jaw-dropping performances in Olympic history. At the 1992 Barcelona Games, competing for the Unified Team, he won six gold medals in a single Olympics—a feat no male gymnast has matched. Vault, pommel horse, rings, parallel bars, horizontal bar, and all-around—Scherbo owned them all.

His combination of strength, flair, and fearlessness made him a fan favorite and a nightmare for judges trying to deduct anything.

Even after a tragic accident nearly derailed his 1996 comeback, Scherbo returned to win four bronze medals in Atlanta, showing a level of toughness that matched his talent. When it comes to Olympic dominance in a single Games, Scherbo stands in a class of his own.

#3. Nadia Comăneci

All-Around Gymnast | 5’3″ | Romania
Olympic Medals: 9 total (5 gold, 3 silver, 1 bronze)

Nadia Comăneci changed the sport with one number: 10.0. At just 14 years old, she stunned the world at the 1976 Montreal Olympics by scoring the first perfect 10 in Olympic gymnastics history—and then did it six more times.

That moment didn’t just earn her gold; it redefined what perfection looked like in the sport.

Competing in two Olympics (1976 and 1980), Comăneci captured five gold medals and became a global icon, admired for her poise, elegance, and technical brilliance. She was the face of a generation and the reason many young gymnasts picked up the sport. More than her medal count, it was her aura, her cool under the brightest spotlight, that made her unforgettable. Nadia wasn’t chasing history—she became it.

#2. Nikolai Andrianov

All-Around Gymnast | 5’7″ | Soviet Union
Olympic Medals: 15 total (7 gold, 5 silver, 3 bronze)

Nikolai Andrianov was a juggernaut—powerful, precise, and impossibly prolific. Competing in three Olympics (1972, 1976, 1980), he racked up 15 medals, making him the most decorated male gymnast in Olympic history until Michael Phelps came along.

His versatility was unmatched: he medaled in every men’s event at least once and claimed gold in the all-around in 1976, the ultimate prize.

Andrianov’s routines were a perfect blend of strength and finesse, particularly on floor and vault, where his explosiveness set him apart.

Beyond the podium, he was the backbone of the Soviet dynasty, helping them secure team golds and maintaining their grip on global dominance. If consistency is greatness, Andrianov wore it like armor.

#1. Larisa Latynina

All-Around Gymnast | 5’3″ | Soviet Union
Olympic Medals: 18 total (9 gold, 5 silver, 4 bronze)

Larisa Latynina is the undisputed queen of Olympic gymnastics. Before Phelps, before Biles—there was Latynina, dominating the Games across three Olympiads (1956, 1960, 1964) with a grace and competitiveness that set the gold standard for generations.

Her 18 total medals stood as the Olympic record for any athlete—male or female—for nearly half a century.

She claimed nine golds, including back-to-back all-around titles in ’56 and ’60, and led the Soviet Union to three straight team golds.

Latynina was the cornerstone of a dynasty, thriving in every apparatus with a blend of artistry and consistency that seemed almost mechanical in its perfection. In the grand history of the Olympic Games, no gymnast has ever reigned quite like Larisa Latynina.

The Paris 2024 Games delivered unforgettable performances in artistic gymnastics. Relive the moments and meet the Top 10 champions who defined this Olympic stage