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Josef Stalder
With a total of seven Olympic medals to his credit, Josef Stalder of Switzerland is recognized as one of the most successful male gymnasts of all time. Because of his original element, the name "Stalder" is spoken every day in gyms all over the world.
Stalder is most remembered for pioneering his eponymous skill, the unique "Stalder circle" which, ironically, was invented by accident.
The "Stalder" skill is a common gymnastics element still performed by both men and women in high level gymnastics routines more than 70 years after it was first introduced by Swiss Olympic Champion Josef Stalder.
Josef "Sepp" Stalder was born on Feb. 6, 1919, in Lucerne, Switzerland, and he participated during the glory years of Swiss gymnastics at a time when they were consistent winners of World, European and Olympic medals.
Although Stalder was the winner of a total of seven Olympic medals in two Games, he is most remembered for pioneering his eponymous skill, the unique "Stalder circle" which, ironically, was invented by accident.
One day during a training session, one of Stalder's teammates, Walter Rudin, was attempting a backward straddle circle with the soles of his feet on the high bar. However, when Rudin's feet accidentally slipped off the bar, he still continued his 360 degree revolution.
Stalder noticed this "mistake," and decided to attempt the skill from a handstand position and after one full revolution around the bar return back to the handstand. Stalder performed this original element at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London which earned him the gold medal on the horizontal bar.
At those Games, he also earned a silver medal in team competition as well as a bronze medal on the parallel bars. Four years later at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, Stalder won two silver medals for the team competition and high bar, as well as two bronze medals in the all-around and parallel bars.
Stalder was recognized as the 1952 Swiss Sportsman of the Year. After his retirement he stayed involved in the sport for many years as a coach and a mentor at his club, BTV Lucerne, where there is now a sports hall named the "Sepp Stalder Halle," in his honor.
Mr. Stalder passed away on March 2, 1991. With a total of seven Olympic medals to his credit, Josef Stalder of Switzerland is recognized as one of the most successful male gymnasts of all time. Because of his original element, the name "Stalder" is spoken every day in gyms all over the world and today we welcome him into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in the Class of 2024.