Contents
Sawao Kato
Winning eight Olympic gymnastics gold medals.
All-around titles · Three team golds
- Born
- 11 October 1946
- Birthplace
- Niigata Prefecture, Japan
More people
Sawao Kato
Sawao Kato is a Japanese gymnast whose all-around and apparatus titles helped sustain Japan’s Olympic team dominance.
Early life
Niigata
Was born in Niigata Prefecture.
University
Studied at Tokyo Kyoiku University.
Career
- 1968
Olympic debut
Won three golds in Mexico City alongside a team that included his brother Takeshi.
- 1972
Munich success
Retained his all-around title and added parallel-bars gold.
- 1976
Final Olympics
Won team and parallel-bars golds and all-around silver.
Achievements
All-around titles
Won consecutive Olympic championships.
Three team golds
Helped Japan win at three successive Games.
Twelve medals
Finished with eight golds, three silvers and a bronze.
Beyond gymnastics
Academic career
Became a professor at the University of Tsukuba.
Astronomical namesake
Asteroid 43212 Katosawao was named for him in 2021.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗Photo: Unknown author Unknown author. Public domain · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
