Golden Olympic Moments – Gymnastics – Uneven Bars

Karin Janz (East Germany) – 1972 Munich

After earning a silver in the all-around and a gold on vault, Karin Janz went on to win the uneven bars gold, defeating Olga Korbut on her favorite apparatus in a controversial finish. 

Nadia Comăneci (Romania) – 1976 Montreal

Nadia Comăneci, the all-around champion, received perfect scores in all segments of the bars competition–compulsories, optionals, and finals–to capture the gold medal. 

Maxi Gnauck (East Germany) – 1980 Moscow

Regarded as one of the most successful gymnasts Germany has ever produced, Maxi Gnauck produces one of the best uneven bars routines to win the event title.

Ma Yanhong (China) and Julianne McNamara (United States) – 1984 Los Angeles

Even though Ma Yanhong was in great pain due to appendicitis, she was intent on finishing the competition and was able to execute a perfect routine to win the bars title.  Tying her for the title was Julianne McNamara who performed an equally magnificent routine.

Daniela Silivaş (Romania) – 1988 Seoul

History repeats itself.  Just like her compatriot Nadia Comăneci at the 1976 Olympics, the silver all-around medallist Daniela Silivaş received perfect scores in the compulsories, optionals and the finals to win the uneven bars title.  She also won the beam and floor title and the bronze on vault.

Lu Li (China) – 1992 Barcelona

Lu Li earned one of the only two perfect scores awarded in the Games for her flawless bars routine.

Svetlana Khorkina (Russia) – 1996 Atlanta & 2000 Sydney

For her innovative routines, Svetlana Khorkina was virtually undefeated on the uneven bars in 5 World and 2 Olympic championships between 1995 and 2001, rightfully earning the title “Queen of the Bars.”

Émilie Le Pennec (France) – 2004 Athens

Khorkina’s uncharacteristic fall from bars left the door open for other gymnasts to have crack at the bars title.  Émilie Le Pennec grabbed the opportunity with one of the most technically difficult bars routine in the world, giving France her first ever Olympic medal in women’s gymnastics.

He Kexin (China) – 2008 Beijing

He Kexin and Nastia Liukin (United States) both posted final marks of 16.725.  However, He was awarded the gold medal following a controversial tie-breaking procedure that took into account individual marks given by judges.

More articles on Greatest Athletes series:

• (Almost) Greatest Female Gymnasts in History
• 10 Greatest Male Gymnasts in History
• 10 Greatest Female Gymnasts in History
• Greatest American Female Gymnasts
• Greatest American Male Gymnasts
• 10 Greatest Female Figure Skaters of All Time
• 10 Greatest Male Figure Skaters of All Time

Articles on the Olympics:

• Unforgettable Summer Olympic Stories
• More Unforgettable Summer Olympic Stories
• Unforgettable Winter Olympic Stories
• More Unforgettable Winter Olympic Stories
• Unforgettable Moments of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games
• Unforgettable Moments of The 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics
• Michael Phelps: The Greatest Olympian of All Time

Golden Olympic Performances:

• Men Singles Figure Skating
• Ladies Singles Figure Skating
• Men’s Gymnastics – Floor Exercise
• Men’s Gymnastics – Pommel Horse
• Men’s Gymnastics – Still Rings
• Men’s Gymnastics – Horizontal Bar
• Men’s Gymnastics – Parallel Bars
• Women’s Gymnastics – Uneven Bars
• Women’s Gymnastics – Balance Beam
• Women’s Gymnastics – Floor Exercise

Olympic Greats:

• Women’s Diving
• Men’s Diving