Now
that the London Olympics 2012 is over, the list of winners in three
levels have been tabulated already as per numbers of gold, silver, and
bronze received from different events. People would really miss the
excitement that it actually brings to the countries that participated in
this Olympic event. Amidst of series of news, controversies, and other
must-see and never-forgotten moments, being enlisted as title holders
for championships are already rewarding for the individuals who have
done their part to make their country proud of their accomplishments.
How much more, if one of them have made it at a very young age?
Throughout the history of Olympics since it started in 1896, there were
several Olympians who have proven their worth, skills, and abilities
despite of their innocence and youth. They were able to compete, and
lastly, they have brought pride, championship titles, and they are
included on the top 10 youngest Olympian medalists in the history of Olympics.
10. Toni Nieminen
Although
he has retired in ski jumping events and competitions in 2004, he has
set a wonderful and remarkable record in history as one of the youngest Olympian medalist.
In the 1992 Winter Olympics, which was held in Albertville, he got a
gold medal in the Individual Large Hill, another gold medal for Team
Large Hill, and a bronze medal for Individual Normal Hill. He even
received the Finnish Sports Personality of the Year that same year for
the performance that he had shown in the entire Winter Olympics in 2012.
9. Anne Henning
She
was only 16 years old when she won the gold medal in the 500m match for
speed-skating in the 1972 Saporro Winter Olympics. She began setting in
this type of sport when she reached 15 years old wherein she did work
her way for the 500m and 1,000m long-skate. She is 56 years old now, but
she still expresses her desire of playing her favorite sport.
8. Tara Lipinski
She
was 15 years old when she grabbed the gold medal for playing the
Ladies’ Singles Olympic during the Winter Olympics 1998. She is a known
Olympic Skater in America. Moreover, she still holds the title of the youngest Olympian medalist
that ever won in the Winter Olympics. She was born and raised in
Philadelphia on June 10, 1982, but her passion for skating started to
develop when she was 3 years old when she started playing roller
skating.
7. Dominique Moceanu
She is better known as Domi and
her whole name is Dominique Helena Monceanu, who became part of winning
the gold-medal for the team during the 1996 Olympics. She is an expert
for floor routines and acrobatics on the beam. In fact, she made the
spectators vow to her because of the unparalleled exhibitions that she
had shown on the floor. She was only 14 years old when she became part
of the 1996 U.S. Women’s Gymnastics team, belonging to the popularly
known group as The Magic Seven.
6. Nadia Comaneci
She
was the only gymnast in history who received a perfect 10 score, which
made her a renowned winner in this field since 1976 when she got her
first set of gold medals at age 14. Hence, she is also the youngest
gymnast who ever hold that title when she received it during the
Montreal Olympic in 1976. She still keeps the title of the best-known
gymnast in the world. Although she is already 50 years old, but the
incredible score and fame has not yet left her where she forever made a
mark in the history of the Olympics, especially that none has taken the
title away from her.
5. Fu Mingxia
She
is a proud representative of China in the field of diving wherein she
also holds the title of the youngest diver ever played and swam in the
10m platform who took home the gold medal in Summer Olympics in 1992,
which was held in Barcelona. In fact, she was called by people as a Diving Queen. She
did not stop taking gold medals from the series of Olympics held in
various countries. Hence, she got another gold medal for the 3-meter
spring board during Summer Olympics in 1996 that took place in Atlanta.
4. Marjorie Gestring
She
was 13 years old when she became part of the diving team for the United
States that represented the competition for the Berlin Games in 1936
wherein they won gold medal. Based on records, she is the youngest diver
who ever made to the team, and who got the highest position at her age.
Despite that she was never able to play in the 1940 Olympics because of
the World War II, her performance will never be forgotten, and it will
stay on the pages of the history of Olympics.
3. Kim Yoon
If
you were thinking that Marjorie Gestring is the youngest Olympian
medalist in the world, you better hold yourself back because there are
three more, and the amazing part of it is that a 13-year old female
champion from South Korea got the 3rd
spot for this list. She has actually competed in the 3,000-m
short-track speed skating relay in 1994 that brought her gold medal that
year.
2. Inge Sørensen
A
12-year old swimmer from Denmark holds the youngest Olympian female
medalist in history. She might have got a bronze medal in the 1936 200m
Breaststroke competition, however, in the 1938 London Olympics, she won
gold medal for 200m breast stroke. She was born and raised in
Skovshoved, Gentofte and passed away on March 09, 2011 carrying and
leaving the legacy of triumphs that she had done.
1. Dimitrios Loundras
He
was part of the first athletes who ever played in the first Olympics
held in 1896. He was born on September 04, 1885 and died on February 15,
1971. He took part in the Summer Olympics held in Athens where his team
received a bronze medal at age 10. Throughout history, he still holds
the title of the youngest athlete ever played in the history of Olympics
in the world. He represented the Greece team, and he was part of the
Ethnikos Gymnastikos Syllogos team.
