At Home with Alexei Nemov

It is always interesting to meet an outstanding personality. And four-time Olympic Gold Medalist Alexei Nemov is one of the most outstanding gymnasts of our times. As one sports observer put it, “He’s one of the few gymnasts who can draw the kind of gasps from the crowd usually reserved for only the worst falls ... He looks like a trapeze artists on the high bar, drawing ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ with his soaring flips. On one, he throws himself high above the bar and does a somersault, slapping his thighs in a move that looks more suited for Cirque du Soleil than the Olympics.”

At the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Nemov earned two gold medals and the nickname “Sexy Alexei” from female fans around the world. Four years later, in Sydney, he won the men’s all-around gold medal and a second gold in the high bar.

In May, Russian Life Executive Editor Mikhail Ivanov, together with photographer Andrei Golovanov, caught up with Nemov at his home.