Czechoslovakia Silver
Who was the best gymnast never to win the Olympic title?
I personally think it is Olga Mostepanova of the former USSR. She was the all-around silver medalist at the 1983 World Championships, Mostepanova was a favorite to win the 1984 Olympic all-around title, but the Soviet Union boycotted the Los Angeles Games. An alternative competition was arranged for those nations boycotting, held in Olomouc, Czechoslovakia. There, Mostepanova did the unthinkable; she scored a 10.0 on each of the four apparatus to win the all-around with a perfect 40.00.
Also Russia’s Dmitry Bilozerchev, who at age 16 became the youngest male world champion in history. Bilozerchev won the ’83 and ’87 world all-around titles. Although his ’83 victory was phenomenal (he averaged 9.975 in the all-around final), his ’87 conquest was perhaps more impressive. Two years prior, he had shattered his leg in 42 places in an auto accident in Moscow.
N.B. The question is NEVER to win the Olympic title.
Nadia Comaneche hands down.
1973 Ondrej Nepela WORLDS LP Czechoslovakia