Europe has been the continent that produced generations of gymnastics greats. Whether it’s Romania’s Nadia Comăneci or Belarus’ Vitaly Scherbo, they have been able to conquer both men’s and women’s gymnastics. But this legacy has felt a massive loss this week.

As reported by Eurosport on X: “Franco Menichelli, former artistic gymnast and coach, has passed away at the age of 84. He was an Olympic champion at Tokyo 1964 and won a total of five Olympic medals across three editions of the Games.” So, the sport said farewell to one of its most decorated champions.

Born in Rome in 1941, Menichelli’s journey was quite notable. The gymnast was a homegrown talent who eventually reached the pinnacle of world sport with his determination. At the young age of 11, the Italian started to train, and a few years later, at the 1960 Rome Games, he made his Olympic debut. It was a special one for the gymnast, as he secured not one but two Olympic medals, which were an individual bronze on floor exercise and the other one with the team on home soil.

The next year, in 1961, Menichelli was fresh off as an Olympic medalist. He arrived at the European Championship in Luxembourg, and the rest was history. He secured the gold medal in floor exercise, becoming the European Champion. However, the Italian became unstoppable, as he won two more gold medals in floor exercise at the European Championships, and in 1965, in total, he won four titles in Antwerp.

Before his Antwerp haul, the gymnast secured his first Olympic gold medal at the 1964 Tokyo Games in floor exercise. At the same event, he also secured an Olympic silver medal in the rings. Following his competitive years, Menichelli served as the coach of the Italian national team from 1973 to 1979. And finally, in 2003, he was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame.

So, the moment the update regarding his passing spread across social media, fans were heartbroken.

Gymnastics community united with tributes

For Italy, Franco Menichelli was no less than a hero. His career was defined by performances that spoke for themselves, as he secured five Olympic medals, three World Championship medals, and fourteen European Championship medals throughout his journey in the sport. So, one fan wrote, “Farewell, Legendary Champion!” Another fan said, “When he got injured in Mexico 1968, all of Italy was traumatized. He was the favorite.”

Such sentiments show how connected Italians were with their gymnastics icon. A comment read, “Nooo, I’m so so sorry. My deepest condolences to the family. 💔  I met him personally during the summer of 2021 while on holiday in Lazio. 😭” Another personal connection revealed, “I am very sorry…. I had the pleasure of meeting him in 2021 during the holidays in Bolsena. Condolences to his wife and family.”

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After he got inducted into the Hall of Fame, a decade later, his nation honored his lifelong contributions by inscribing his name on the Walk of Fame of Italian sport at the Foro Italico in Rome.

Similarly, this fan wrote, “How many times Dad told me about the great Menichelli. RIP Champion.” Franco Menichelli’s passing puts an end to a celebrated chapter in gymnastics history that will never fade away from the fans’ memories.