Miro Cerar, winner of a gold medal at the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokio
In 2021, the summer Olympic Games are taking place again in Tokio. Already in 1964, the Slovenes were extremely proud of Miro Cerar, our best gymnast and winner of olympic medals, who brought home from Tokio a gold medal on pommel horse and a bronze medal on horizontal bar. On his return to Slovenia he was warmly received at Brnik airport as seen from the photo by Edi Šelhaus. He was also greeted by his wife Zdenka and his little son Miro.
In 2019, when he was invited by the Japanese government and the Organisational Committee of the 2020 Olympic Games to attend the 55th anniversary of the 1964 Olympic Games, he was especially surprised when presented with the original pommel horse from 1964 on which he won the gold medal. According to him, he was worshiped as a god on pommel horse in Tokio. Miro Cerar is also present at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokio, namely as a leader of the Slovene Olympic team. On view at the temporary exhibition Slovenia – 30 Years (until the end of October 2021) is the highest International Olympic Committee award, the Olympic Order, awarded to Miro Cerar in 1985.
Miro Cerar, one of the best Slovene sportsmen of all time, is the winner of three Olympic medals, of which two gold medals, winner of seven medals at world championships in gymnastics, of which five gold medals, and winner of 15 medals at the European championships in gymnastics, of which nine gold medals.