November 2008
Ambassador Honors Famous Slovene Gymnast
Embassy Events
November 12, 2008
Ambassador Ghafari, along with Justice Minister Šturm attended what would have been Leon Štukelj’s 110th birthday in Žuzemberk. The Ambassador and Minister were welcomed by the children of a local elementary school as well as by the Headmaster and Mr. Zajc, Leon Štukelj’s best friend.
Leon Štukelj competed for the Yugoslav gymnastics team in the Olympics and won two gold medals in Paris in 1924, one gold and two bronze in Amsterdam in 1928, and a silver in Berlin in 1936. He attended the 24th Olympic Games in Atlanta in 1996 and was the oldest living gold medalist. He passed away in 1999, just 4 days short of his 100th birthday.