Aleksandr Diteatin, the first gymnast to score a 10 at the Olympic Games, has died at the age of 68. He won 8 medals at the 1980 Olympics, a record matched only by Michael Phelps.

Aleksandr Diteatin, an emblematic name in world gymnastics, passed away at the age of 68, according to the announcement from the International Gymnastics Federation. Diteatin was the first gymnast to achieve a perfect score of 10 at the Olympic Games, a feat accomplished at the 1980 edition in Moscow, where he won the gold medal in the all-around and contributed to the victory of the Soviet team. With a total of eight medals at those Games, he set a record that was only matched by swimmer Michael Phelps.

Born on August 7, 1957, Diteatin began competing at the age of 15 and had a brilliant career, winning 10 Olympic medals and 12 world medals. Throughout his career, he won gold medals in vault, rings, and team events, and he was a dedicated coach in recent years, continuing to inspire young gymnasts in St. Petersburg. In 2004, he expressed hope that gymnastics would continue to bring joy and enthusiasm to people around the world.