Alexei Nemov
Encyclopedia
Alexei Yurievich Nemov is a gymnast
from Russia
and one of the most medaled gymnasts, male or female, of all time. He has won 12 Olympic medals, including more Olympic bronze medals (six) than any other athlete. Nemov's sense of showmanship and his difficult routines have won him many fans. He currently lives in his hometown of Tolyatti
with his wife Galina, and his son Alexei.
on the Volga River
. His father left him and his mother when Nemov was just a baby, and Nemov has never seen him since. Alexei started gymnastics at age five.
, placing fifth on floor. The following year, he stamped himself as a true all-around contender, winning his qualifying session at the Worlds. He later faltered and dropped to 12th overall. He won his first major all-around title at the Goodwill Games
in Saint Petersburg
, beating his 2nd-place teammate and World Silver Medalist Aleksei Voropaev by over one point. Nemov's style of gymnastics was considered very well-rounded; he had complex acrobatics, a unique style, and elegance when he performed.
Despite promising initial international success, in 1995 he gained a reputation for having inconsistent performances. In the all-around at the 1995 European Cup, Nemov, then 19, was the leader after five events and had put up the high score on three events. When he came to high bar, he only needed an 8.75 to win the title. He missed his two major release moves, crashed into the bar on another release move, botched a required element, and stopped in the middle of his routine. He scored a 7.35 and dropped to ninth overall.
A few months later, Nemov competed in the World Championships
in Sabae, Japan
. The Russian team had a disastrous showing during the qualifying round—finishing in 11th place. Nemov was in 96th all-around. The team rebounded in the finals to finish 4th overall (still a disappointment since it marked the first time in decades that the Russians failed to medal in the team competition), while Nemov put up the highest optional score of all the competitors. His compulsory round ranking prevented him from qualifying to the all-around finals, however.
At the 1996 Summer Olympics
in Atlanta, Georgia
, Nemov seemed poised to win the gold. Nemov won six medals (two gold, one silver, and three bronze). He performed solidly in the all-around, battling World Champion Li Xiaoshuang
every step of the way. He ruined his chances for gold, however, when he botched his middle tumbling run on the final event. He finished in second by a narrow margin.
Nemov's Olympic success and newfound worldwide fame did not last. Over the next several years, he baffled audiences with his uninspired, inconsistent performances in major international competition. He continually battled recurring shoulder injuries, boredom, and poor fitness level. He failed to win a major all-around title for nearly four years, and many doubted his chances for Olympic gold at the Sydney Olympics
. He surprised everyone when he arrived at the Olympics doing the best gymnastics of his career, and once again took home six medals. This time, he won the all-around title, finally winning the first major championship of his career.
Although never regaining his form of 2000, Nemov competed through to the 2004 Athens Olympics
, mainly as an anchor for the fledgling Russian team. Though unable to defend his all-around title, Nemov's performances brought the house down in Athens, and placed him in the middle of a judging controversy. After performing a routine with six release skills in the high bar finals (including four in a row), the judges posted a score of 9.725, placing him in third with several athletes still to compete. The crowd erupted in a chorus of boos and cheers upon seeing the results and interrupted the competition for nearly 15 minutes. The judges felt the pressure of the crowd, reevaluated the routine, and increased his score to a 9.762, which still placed him out of the medals. The crowd continued their raucous protest, subsiding only after Nemov stepped up to the podium and pleaded with his supporters to quiet down for the sake of the other athletes. This scandal was finally credited as one of the last straws after several judging controversies in the competition, and fueled a massive reconstruction of the scoring system which was implemented in 2006. Nemov rarely criticised the judges or the situation. The Russian Olympic Committee later awarded Nemov $40,000 in recognition of his class and character, and he retired from gymnastics soon after.
Gymnastics
Gymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...
from Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and one of the most medaled gymnasts, male or female, of all time. He has won 12 Olympic medals, including more Olympic bronze medals (six) than any other athlete. Nemov's sense of showmanship and his difficult routines have won him many fans. He currently lives in his hometown of Tolyatti
Tolyatti
Tolyatti , also known as Togliatti, is a city in Samara Oblast, Russia. It serves as the administrative center of Stavropolsky District, although it is administratively separate from it...
with his wife Galina, and his son Alexei.
Early life
Alexei Nemov grew up in TolyattiTolyatti
Tolyatti , also known as Togliatti, is a city in Samara Oblast, Russia. It serves as the administrative center of Stavropolsky District, although it is administratively separate from it...
on the Volga River
Volga River
The Volga is the largest river in Europe in terms of length, discharge, and watershed. It flows through central Russia, and is widely viewed as the national river of Russia. Out of the twenty largest cities of Russia, eleven, including the capital Moscow, are situated in the Volga's drainage...
. His father left him and his mother when Nemov was just a baby, and Nemov has never seen him since. Alexei started gymnastics at age five.
Gymnastics career
As a 16-year-old he made his debut at the 1993 World Championships1993 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships
The Artistic Gymnastics World Championships were held in Birmingham, England in 1993. There was no team competition at this meet; gymnasts competed in the all-around and event finals only....
, placing fifth on floor. The following year, he stamped himself as a true all-around contender, winning his qualifying session at the Worlds. He later faltered and dropped to 12th overall. He won his first major all-around title at the Goodwill Games
Goodwill Games
The Goodwill Games was an international sports competition, created by Ted Turner in reaction to the political troubles surrounding the Olympic Games of the 1980s...
in Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
, beating his 2nd-place teammate and World Silver Medalist Aleksei Voropaev by over one point. Nemov's style of gymnastics was considered very well-rounded; he had complex acrobatics, a unique style, and elegance when he performed.
Despite promising initial international success, in 1995 he gained a reputation for having inconsistent performances. In the all-around at the 1995 European Cup, Nemov, then 19, was the leader after five events and had put up the high score on three events. When he came to high bar, he only needed an 8.75 to win the title. He missed his two major release moves, crashed into the bar on another release move, botched a required element, and stopped in the middle of his routine. He scored a 7.35 and dropped to ninth overall.
A few months later, Nemov competed in the World Championships
1995 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships
The 30th Artistic Gymnastics World Championships were held at Sun Dome Fukui in Sabae, Japan in 1995.- All-round :NB: Team rosters are incomplete.- Apparatus :- All-around :- Vault :- Uneven Bars :- Balance Beam :- Floor Exercise:...
in Sabae, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. The Russian team had a disastrous showing during the qualifying round—finishing in 11th place. Nemov was in 96th all-around. The team rebounded in the finals to finish 4th overall (still a disappointment since it marked the first time in decades that the Russians failed to medal in the team competition), while Nemov put up the highest optional score of all the competitors. His compulsory round ranking prevented him from qualifying to the all-around finals, however.
At the 1996 Summer Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, Nemov seemed poised to win the gold. Nemov won six medals (two gold, one silver, and three bronze). He performed solidly in the all-around, battling World Champion Li Xiaoshuang
Li Xiaoshuang
Li Xiaoshuang is a Chinese gymnast and Olympic champion. Li Xiaoshuang and his twin brother Li Dashuang's gymnastics talent was discovered at the age of six...
every step of the way. He ruined his chances for gold, however, when he botched his middle tumbling run on the final event. He finished in second by a narrow margin.
Nemov's Olympic success and newfound worldwide fame did not last. Over the next several years, he baffled audiences with his uninspired, inconsistent performances in major international competition. He continually battled recurring shoulder injuries, boredom, and poor fitness level. He failed to win a major all-around title for nearly four years, and many doubted his chances for Olympic gold at the Sydney Olympics
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
. He surprised everyone when he arrived at the Olympics doing the best gymnastics of his career, and once again took home six medals. This time, he won the all-around title, finally winning the first major championship of his career.
Although never regaining his form of 2000, Nemov competed through to the 2004 Athens Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
, mainly as an anchor for the fledgling Russian team. Though unable to defend his all-around title, Nemov's performances brought the house down in Athens, and placed him in the middle of a judging controversy. After performing a routine with six release skills in the high bar finals (including four in a row), the judges posted a score of 9.725, placing him in third with several athletes still to compete. The crowd erupted in a chorus of boos and cheers upon seeing the results and interrupted the competition for nearly 15 minutes. The judges felt the pressure of the crowd, reevaluated the routine, and increased his score to a 9.762, which still placed him out of the medals. The crowd continued their raucous protest, subsiding only after Nemov stepped up to the podium and pleaded with his supporters to quiet down for the sake of the other athletes. This scandal was finally credited as one of the last straws after several judging controversies in the competition, and fueled a massive reconstruction of the scoring system which was implemented in 2006. Nemov rarely criticised the judges or the situation. The Russian Olympic Committee later awarded Nemov $40,000 in recognition of his class and character, and he retired from gymnastics soon after.