Jury Dimitri Chechi Commendatore OMRI (Italian pronunciation: [ˈjuːri ˈkeːki]; born 11 October 1969) is a retired Italian gymnast.

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Jury Chechi
Jury Chechi in 2012
Personal information
Full nameJury Dimitri Chechi
Nickname(s)il Signore degli Anelli ("the Lord of the Rings")[1]
Country represented Italy
Born (1969-10-11) 11 October 1969 (age 55)
Prato, Italy
Height1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)[2]
Weight60 kg (132 lb)[2]
DisciplineMen's artistic gymnastics
LevelSenior
ClubSG Etruria Prato[2]
Head coach(es)Bruno Franceschetti[3]
Retired2004[2]
Medal record
Representing  Italy
Men's artistic gymnastics
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place1996 AtlantaRings
Bronze medal – third place2004 AthensRings
World Championships
Gold medal – first place1993 BirminghamRings
Gold medal – first place1994 BrisbaneRings
Gold medal – first place1995 SabaeRings
Gold medal – first place1996 San JuanRings
Gold medal – first place1997 LausanneRings
Bronze medal – third place1989 StuttgartRings
Bronze medal – third place1991 IndianapolisRings
European Championships
Gold medal – first place1990 LausanneRings
Gold medal – first place1992 BudapestRings
Gold medal – first place1994 PragaRings
Gold medal – first place1996 CopenhagenRings
Bronze medal – third place1990 LausanneAll-around
Bronze medal – third place1992 BudapestFloor
Universiade
Gold medal – first place1993 BuffaloTeam
Gold medal – first place1993 BuffaloRings
Gold medal – first place1997 SicilyRings
Silver medal – second place1993 BuffaloAll-around
European Cup
Gold medal – first place1988 FirenzeRings
Gold medal – first place1991 BruxellesAll-around
Gold medal – first place1991 BruxellesRings
Gold medal – first place1991 BruxellesParallel bars
Gold medal – first place1995 RomaRings
Bronze medal – third place1988 FirenzeFloor
Bronze medal – third place1988 FirenzeParallel bars
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Biography

Chechi was named after cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin.[2] He won the Olympics title in the rings at Atlanta 1996 and was third at Athens 2004. Chechi's bronze was the result of his attempted comeback into the sport at the age of 35, well above what is considered the average age of a male gymnast.

Chechi dominated his specialty, the rings, during the nineties, so he was nicknamed "the Lord of the Rings"; however, he could not participate in the Barcelona 1992 and Sydney 2000 Olympic games due to serious injuries. He has won five gold and two bronze medals at the World Gymnastics Championships and four gold and two bronze medals at the European Championships.[2]

Chechi was the Italian flagbearer at the opening ceremony in the Athens Games in 2004. He also participated in the 2006 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in Turin.

Jury sparked some controversy at the 2004 Athens Olympic games when he shook the hand of silver medalist in the rings final, Yordan Yovchev and signaled that he should have won the gold medal, not Dimosthenis Tampakos (meaning that he won only because he was the local champion).

He is an atheist.[4]

Honours of merit

3rd Class / Commander: Commendatore Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana

— 27 September 2004. Initiative by President of the Italian Republic Carlo Azeglio Ciampi.[5]

See also

References

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