Haruhiro Yamashita
Japanese gymnast (1938–2026)
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Haruhiro Yamashita (山下 治広, Yamashita Haruhiro; November 11, 1938 – June 19, 2026) was a Japanese gymnast, who competed in the 1964 Summer Olympics. He won two gold medals, in the vault and team combined exercises.[1]
| Haruhiro Yamashita | |
|---|---|
Yamashita at the 1964 Olympics | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | November 11, 1938 Uwajima, Ehime, Japan |
| Died | June 19, 2026 (aged 87) |
| Height | 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in) |
| Gymnastics career | |
| Discipline | Men's artistic gymnastics |
Country represented | |
Medal record | |
After marriage he changed his last name from Yamashita to Matsuda (松田), adopting his aunt's surname, who took care of him as a child.[2] In 1961, he graduated from Nippon Sport Science University, where in 1983 he became professor and later professor emeritus.[3] In the early 1970s he was an assistant gymnastics coach under Roger Council at the Indiana State University. There he began his research on biorhythms.[4]
Yamashita also trained the national gymnastics team, at the 1976 Summer Olympics and at the Asian Games in 1990,[3] and held senior positions with the Japan Gymnastics Association.[5]
In 2000 Yamashita was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame.[6] He was an honorary citizen of his native town of Uwajima.[5]
Yamashita died on June 19, 2026, at the age of 87.[7]
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