Legend of the Azarian Cross

GymnasticsCoaching.com links to Gymnastike. I found the following video, with a great story on the origins of the Azarian Cross.




Some background:

In addition to winning three Olympic Gold Medals in 1956 and 1960, two World Championships and a European Championship, Albert created the extremely difficult still rings move called the “Olympic Cross.” This move is also known as the “Azarian Cross.” Albert was often called the “King of the Rings.” Another still rings element, the “Azarian Roll,” is named after Albert and is officially recognized in the International Gymnastics Federation Code of Points. An enthusiastic press wrote about Albert’s performance: “on that famous day in 1956, the Australian spectators at the Melbourne Olympic Games leapt from their seats with one bound to acclaim a Soviet gymnast of Armenian origin who had just achieved an act of gymnastic prowess never before seen. Suspended from the rings, Albert Azarian, World Champion in that discipline since 1954, rose slowly into the air, separating his powerful arms with ease, a smile on his face, and all of a sudden performed that famous cross with quarter turn, first to the left and then to the right. This cross is called the ‘Olympic Cross.’ His fellow gymnasts said of him that he was the embodiment of beauty of movement and of the physical force of the human being. In no international competition was he ever beaten on the rings. He was the King!”