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ALEXEI NEMOV
Alexei Yurievich Nemov (born May 28, 1976, Barashevo) is a gymnast from Russia and one of the most
medaled gymnasts, male or female, of all time. He owns 12 Olympic medals and earned the nickname "Sexy Alexei"
from fans and sports commentators. Nemov's sense of showmanship and his routines packed full of exciting skills have won
him many fans. He currently lives in his hometown of Togliatti with his wife Galina, and his son Alexei.
Alexei Nemov grew up in Togliatti, a small town on the Volga River. His father left him and his mother when Nemov was just
a baby, and Nemov has never seen him since. Alexei started gymnastics at age five.
As a 16-year-old he made his debut at the 1993 World Championships, placing fifth on floor. The following year, he
stamped himself as a true all-around contender, winning his qualifying session at the Worlds. He later faltered and dropped
to 12th overall. He won his first major all-around title at the Goodwill Games in Saint Petersburg, beating his 2nd-place
teammate and World Silver Medalist Aleksei Voropaev by over one point. Nemov's style of gymnastics was considered
very well-rounded; he had complex acrobatics, a unique style, and elegance when he performed.
Despite promising initial international success, in 1995 he gained a reputation for having inconsistent performances.
In the all-around at the 1995 European Cup, Nemov, then 19, was the leader after five events and had put up the high
score on three events. When he came to high bar, he only needed an 8.75 to win the title. He missed his two major release
moves, crashed into the bar on another release move, botched a required element, and stopped in the middle of his routine.
He scored a 7.35 and dropped to ninth overall.
A few months later, Nemov competed in the World Championships in Sabae, Japan. The Russian team had a disastrous
showing during the qualifying round, finishing in 11th place. Nemov was in 96th all-around. The team rebounded in the finals
to finish 4th overall (still a disappointment since it marked the first time in decades that the Russians failed to medal
in the team competition), while Nemov put up the highest optional score of all the competitors. His compulsory round ranking
prevented him from qualifying to the all-around finals, however.
At the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, Nemov seemed poised to win the gold. Nemov ended up winning six medals:
two gold, one silver, and three bronze. He performed solidly in the all-around, battling World Champion Li Xiaoshuang
every step of the way. He ruined his chances for gold, however, when he botched his middle tumbling run on the final event.
He finished in second by a narrow margin.
Nemov's Olympic success and newfound worldwide fame did not last. Over the next several years, he baffled audiences
with his uninspired, inconsistent performances in major international competition. He continually battled recurring shoulder
injuries, boredom, and poor fitness level. He failed to win a major all-around title for nearly four years, and many
doubted his chances for Olympic gold at the Sydney Olympics. He surprised everyone when he arrived at the Olympics
doing the best gymnastics of his career, and once again took home six medals. This time, he won the all-around title,
finally winning the first major championship of his career.
Although never regaining his form of 2000, Nemov competed through to the 2004 Athens Olympics, mainly as an anchor for
the fledgling Russian team. Though unable to defend his all-around title, Nemov's performances brought the house down in
Athens, and placed him in the middle of a judging controversy. After performing a routine with several release skills
in the high bar finals, the judges posted a score of 9.725, placing him in third with several athletes to compete.
The Greek crowd erupted in chorus of boos and cheers upon seeing the results and interrupted the competition for nearly
15 minutes. The judges felt the pressure of the crowd, reevaluated the routine, and increased his score to a 9.762,
still placing him out of the medals. The crowd continued their raucous protest, which only subsided after Nemov stepped
up to the podium and pleaded with his supporters to quiet down for the sake of the other athletes. This scandal was finally
credited as one of the last straws after several judging controversies in the competition, and fueled a massive reconstruction
of the scoring system which was implemented in 2006. Nemov rarely criticised the judges or the situation. The Russian Olympic
Committee later awarded Nemov $40,000 in recognition of his class and character, and he retired from gymnastics soon after.
For more information, visit his
profile page on the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique website.
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