Keiko Tanaka-Ikeda
Japanese gymnast (1933–2023)
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Keiko Tanaka-Ikeda (田中-池田 敬子, born Keiko Tanaka; November 11, 1933 – May 13, 2023) was the first Japanese female gymnast to win a world title, which she accomplished on the balance beam in 1954 (by becoming the first Asian female gymnast to win a world gold medal). For 63 years, she remained the only Japanese female gymnast who won a world gold medal - until Mai Murakami won the floor exercise at the 2017 World Championships. Tanaka-Ikeda won seven more medals at the world championships from 1958 to 1966. She also competed at the 1956, 1960, and 1964 Olympics in all artistic gymnastics events and won a team bronze medal in 1964; her best individual achievement was a fourth place on the floor in 1956.[1]
Tanaka-Ikeda at the 1964 Olympics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | November 11, 1933 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | May 13, 2023 (aged 89) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.54 m (5 ft 1 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 54 kg (119 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Sport | Artistic gymnastics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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In retirement she taught at Japan's Sports Science University and served as director of the Japanese Gymnastics Association. In 2002, she became the first Japanese woman to be inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame.[2]
Tanaka-Ikeda died from brain cancer at a nursing home in Kawasaki, Kanagawa, on May 13, 2023, at the age of 89.[3]
