Erika Zuchold
Encyclopedia
Erica Zuchold is a former East German gymnast
who competed at the European, World, and Olympic level from the mid 1960s to early 1970s.
She, along with Karin Janz, was one of the two most significant (in terms of medals won at major championships) female German gymnasts of her era, co-leading, with Janz, the East German team to both the Team Bronze at the 1968 Olympics
and improving upon that, again with Janz, to win the Team Silver at the 1972 Olympics
.
Among her many successes, her highlight came at the 1970 World Championships
where she placed 2nd in the Individual All-Around behind the Soviet Ludmilla Tourischeva
and returned to win Gold on both Vault and Balance Beam in event finals, the latter of which being a fairly controversial win over second-place American Cathy Rigby
. Also, the period in-between the 1968 and 1972 Olympics saw Zuchold and Tourischeva being the only two gymnasts to win spots on the Individual All-Around podium at every European and World Championships during that time period (1969 Europeans - 1970 Worlds - 1971 Europeans).
Quite notably, Zuchold is credited as being the first woman to compete the flick-flack element on balance beam at a Worlds or Olympics, at the 1966 World Championships
, as well as being one of the first two women, along with Věra Čáslavská
at the 1968 Olympics, to compete a front handspring on balance beam.
In her post-gymnastics career, she explored a number of diverse activities and careers, including being a trapeze artist, a curator, an educator, and an abstract painter.
In 2005, Zuchold was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame
.
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...
who competed at the European, World, and Olympic level from the mid 1960s to early 1970s.
She, along with Karin Janz, was one of the two most significant (in terms of medals won at major championships) female German gymnasts of her era, co-leading, with Janz, the East German team to both the Team Bronze at the 1968 Olympics
Gymnastics at the 1968 Summer Olympics
At the 1968 Summer Olympics, fourteen different artistic gymnastics events were contested, eight for men and six for women. All events were held at the National Auditorium in Mexico City from October 21 through October 26.-Format of competition:...
and improving upon that, again with Janz, to win the Team Silver at the 1972 Olympics
Gymnastics at the 1972 Summer Olympics
At the 1972 Summer Olympics, fourteen different artistic gymnastics events were contested, eight for men and six for women. All events were held at the Sports Hall in Munich from August 27 through September 1.-Format of competition:...
.
Among her many successes, her highlight came at the 1970 World Championships
1970 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships
The 17th Artistic Gymnastics World Championships were held in Ljubljana, Slovenia, in 1970.-Medals:-All-around:- Floor exercise :-Pommel horse:-Rings:-Vault:-Parallel bars:-Horizontal bar:-Team final:-All-around:- Vault :...
where she placed 2nd in the Individual All-Around behind the Soviet Ludmilla Tourischeva
Ludmilla Tourischeva
Ludmilla Ivanovna Tourischeva is a former Russian gymnast and a nine-time Olympic medalist for the Soviet Union.Tourischeva began gymnastics in 1965 and began competing for the Soviet team as early as in 1967...
and returned to win Gold on both Vault and Balance Beam in event finals, the latter of which being a fairly controversial win over second-place American Cathy Rigby
Cathy Rigby
Cathleen Roxanne Rigby , best known as Cathy Rigby, is a former gymnast, actress and speaker.-Early life:Rigby was born in Los Alamitos, California in 1952....
. Also, the period in-between the 1968 and 1972 Olympics saw Zuchold and Tourischeva being the only two gymnasts to win spots on the Individual All-Around podium at every European and World Championships during that time period (1969 Europeans - 1970 Worlds - 1971 Europeans).
Quite notably, Zuchold is credited as being the first woman to compete the flick-flack element on balance beam at a Worlds or Olympics, at the 1966 World Championships
1966 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships
The 16th Artistic Gymnastics World Championships were held in Dortmund, West Germany, in 1966.-Medals:-All-around:-Team final:- Floor exercise :-Pommel horse:-Rings:-Vault:-Parallel bars:-Horizontal bar:-All-around:- Vault :...
, as well as being one of the first two women, along with Věra Čáslavská
Vera Cáslavská
Věra Čáslavská is a Czech gymnast. Blonde, cheerful and possessing impressive stage presence, she was generally popular with the public and won a total of 22 international titles...
at the 1968 Olympics, to compete a front handspring on balance beam.
In her post-gymnastics career, she explored a number of diverse activities and careers, including being a trapeze artist, a curator, an educator, and an abstract painter.
In 2005, Zuchold was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame
International Gymnastics Hall of Fame
The International Gymnastics Hall of Fame, located in Oklahoma City, USA, is a hall of fame dedicated to honoring the achievements and contributions of the world's greatest competitors, coaches and authorities in artistic gymnastics....
.