While Korbut retired from gymnastics in 1977 at the age of 22 , which was considered young for gymnasts of the period , Korbut ' s influence and legacy in gymnastics was far reaching . Korbut ' s 1972 Olympic performances are widely credited as redefining gymnastics , changing the sport from emphasising ballet and elegance to acrobatics and technique , as well as changing popular opinion of gymnastics as a niche sport to one of the most popular sports in the world .
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Oksana Chusovitina- born 19 June 1975 ) is a world and Olympic level gymnast who has competed for the Soviet Union , Uzbekistan , and Germany .
Chusovitina ' s career as an elite gymnast has spanned more than a quarter century . She won the USSR Junior Nationals in 1988 and began competing at the
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