Russian gymnast Alexander Dityatin, who made Olympic history by becoming the first male to achieve a perfect 10 score and claimed a record eight medals at a single Games, has died at 68 from a heart problem.
Dityatin achieved his historic perfect score on the pommel horse during the 1980 Moscow Olympics. The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) noted this groundbreaking feat while lamenting his passing.
At those same Moscow Games, Dityatin became the first athlete in any sport to win eight medals in a single Olympic event. His haul included three gold medals.
This remarkable record stood for nearly three decades before American swimmer Michael Phelps equaled it at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Russian President Vladimir Putin extended his condolences, remembering Dityatin as a “three-time Olympic champion, a legendary representative of the national school of artistic gymnastics.”
Putin added that Dityatin “was a determined man, decisive and demanding of himself.” He noted that this dedication led to Dityatin’s “extraordinary achievements and brilliant victories” and that he “instilled these same qualities in his numerous students.”
The President concluded, “The brilliant memory of Alexander Nikolaevich Dityatin will forever remain in the hearts of his family and friends, his colleagues from Leningrad’s Dynamo club and our national team.”
Overall, Dityatin amassed 10 Olympic medals during his illustrious career, including his three golds from Moscow.