George Eyser

George Eyser ( born August 31, 1870 in Kiel, † unknown) was an American gymnast and three -time Olympic champion. At the age of 14, he came from Germany to the United States. The German Americans received American citizenship in 1894.

In the Summer Olympics 1904 in St. Louis, he was with three gold, two silver and a bronze medal the third most successful athletes of these Games. He won the individual competition on bars in Tauhangeln and horse jump along with his compatriot Anton Heida. The silver medal he won in the individual all-around and pommel horse. Finally, in Reck he won a bronze medal. The Concordia Turnverein of St. Louis, he came in the team all-around on the 4th Place. This is all the more remarkable because he took with a wooden leg. A few years earlier he had lost his left leg in a train accident.

He was until 2008 the only athlete who had participated after a leg amputation at the Olympic Games. For the Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, finally, the South African swimmer Natalie du Toit could qualify, who lost her left leg in an accident at the age of 17 years.