Olga Korbut, with her winning smile and elfin physique, touched the hearts of people throughout the world. She inspired emotions of protectiveness in people from all walks of life, generating sympathy for herself, and an intense interest in the sport that started an explosion of new training centers. This one Belarusian gymnast almost singlehandedly turned women's gymnastics into the popular sport it is today. Prior to the 1972 Olympics, women's gymnastics had been a sport practiced by women, not young girls. Larissa Latynina continued to compete and win even after bearing children. Vera Caslavska was 26 when she stunned the world at the Mexico City Olympics in 1968. Olga's charm and technical daring changed that, and with Nadia Comaneci's sweep of the 1976 Olympics, the sport became dominated by younger, slighter, more athletic gymnasts.

Olga's principle strength as a gymnast was her originality. She was extremely flexible, giving her advantages in the floor and beam exercises. However, it was her more daring tricks - the back flip while standing on the high bar and her back tuck on the beam - that won her the admiration of millions. She was a master at manipulating a crowd, selecting her floor music for maximum emotional impact whatever setting in which she performed. In Munich in 1972, she became the talk of the planet. People of every nation were asking one question: "Did you see that Belarusian girl, Olga Korbut, on TV last night?" One spectator, acting out the impulses of Olga's many fans, rushed to bring the weeping gymnast a bouquet of flowers in sympathy. President Nixon, upon meeting her at the White House, told her: "I have always been impressed with your ability to land on your feet.”

Olga won gold medals for her beam and floor routines in the Munich Olympics, and returned with the team in 1976. Olga was a great gymnast, but more than that she became an icon, a legend. She did more to ease the tensions of the Cold War than all the politicians and diplomats of the day put together. She made us all feel like part on one big family.

1972: Munich Olympic Games: Won 4 medals at Olympics: 3 Gold, 1 Silver.
1972: Named Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year.
1972: ABC Sports recognized Olga as the Athlete of the Year.
1973: Top Athlete of the Year in the USA.
1974: Named by BBC “Top Athlete of the Year" in England
1974: Olga Korbut competed in the World Championships. Won 5 medals: 2 Gold, 3 Silver.
1975: Rewarded with the “Golden Tuning Fork” and named the Woman of the Year in San Remo, Monaco by UNESCO.
1976: Montreal Olympic Games: Won 2 medals at Olympics: 1 Gold, 1 Silver.
Many awards and honors quickly followed her success in Munich. In 1972, the Associated Press named her “Female of the Year” and ABC Television, “Top Athlete of the Year.”
In 1975, the Women’s Sports Foundation selected her “Athlete of the Year”. Named: Mother of Gymnastics.
Also, in 1975, Olga was selected as "Athlete of the Year" by the Women's Sport Foundation.
Following the Games, she made the transition to coaching the Soviet team. Thus leaving competitive gymnastics an undisputed champion and a pioneer of such advanced techniques still considered "impossible".
In 1994, Olga was named by Sport's Illustrated as one the top athletes in the past 40 years.
Olga Korbut was the first female gymnast Athlete inducted into the gymnastics Hall of Fame.
During the 1996 Olympic Games, she was the official attache of Belarus.
In 1999 Olga Korbut was classified the best sportswoman of the 20th century by the Italian agency AHCA.