The Agile Leon

written by: Milka Babović, illustrated by: Matija Dražović

The publishing of these picture books was enabled by the Croatian Olympic Committee and the International Olympic Committee.

ISBN 978–953–7981–01–3, picture book 3

ISBN 978–953–7981–02–0, picture book series

Publisher: POKRET – aktivan i zdrav

Graphic design: Boris Barna

www.kidathletes.net

Proofreading: Jana Sumrak

Editor: Vitomir Spasović

Translated by: Andrea Bagović

Written by: Milka Babović

Print: Printera

Illustrated by: Matija Dražović

Zagreb, 2014.

written by: Milka Babović, illustrated by: Matija Dražović

olympic stories

Whenever someone giving a speech mentioned Leon Štukelj, people clapped their hands. Peter wondered at that; birthday celebrations were different in the kindergarten. Questions in Peter’s little head buzzed like bees in a beehive. But he knew that one had to be silent when watching TV.

However, when he saw an older man approaching the stage with an upright posture and resolute stride, he cried out excitedly: “I know him, I’ve seen him. He comes to the

park in front of our kindergarten every day. He walks fast, then he breathes deeply, and then he exercises!”

Grandpa smiled and sank even deeper into his armchair. Peter moved his chair closer because he did not want to miss any word of Grandpa’s story.

Leon Ĺ tukelj was born in the town of Novo Mesto in Slovenia. He was a tiny, but healthy and curious boy, always on the move. When he turned eight, his father made him join a local gymnastics club Sokol (Falcon). Leon was immediately attracted by gymnastics apparati. He quickly repeated every exercise that his gymnastics teacher demonstrated.

The visit of the best Slovenian gymnasts of that time was crucial for his final decision about gymnastics and training on the gymnastics apparati. They came to Novo Mesto from the capital, Ljubljana, and practiced at the town square.

Leon was 10 years old. Eyes wide open, face radiant with joy, he followed each movement of the guests. He remembered those mustached and strong gymnasts until the end of his long life.

He learned it quickly enough. In 1914,

the World War I put an end to Leon’s studying and enjoying gymnastics.

But he was lucky: his wartime posting took him to a hospital service in Vienna, the capital of

Austria.

Far away from battlefields and dangerous battles that were fought away from cities, he experienced life in Vienna. For the first time in his life, he frequented theatres,

operas, concerts and exhibitions.

After immeasurable hardships and sufferings, the reasonable, brighter side of people won and they stopped making war. The war was finally over. Leon was discharged from the army and he happily went home. He immediately continued to do gymnastics. Now older and more experienced, he decided that in addition to his great love, gymnastics, he would devote some of his time to studying.

First he went to study law in Zagreb, and then he continued in Ljubljana, where he practiced gymnastics in the national gymnasium, together with the best gymnasts.

Leon Ĺ tukelj first appeared in the national team at the World Championship in 1922. He was 24.

He surprised the world, as well as himself: he won on the rings,

the parallel bars, and the horizontal bar. He was one of the first six gymnasts in the world! Peter’s Grandpa was talking about it with a voice that showed how proud he was of his friend.

After this great success, Leon practiced even more assiduously. He wanted to make his and every athlete’s dream come true: to compete at the

Olympic Games. He made it in Paris in 1924. He stood on the podium with two gold medals around his neck.

After this big success, Leon Ĺ tukelj achieved another one: he finished his law studies,

graduated and immediately started to prepare for the judiciary exam. He had wanted to become a judge from an early age. Perseverance was one of Leon’s great virtues; he always finished what he had started!

One competition followed another, and his collection of medals and awards grew larger and larger. He had the reputation of a good judge.

He always found time to exercise. He used to say that exercising relaxed him, so that he could go back to the courtroom refreshed. He competed at two more Olympic Games: in Amsterdam in 1928 and in Berlin in 1936, when he was 38.

Grandpa Ivan’s story about Leon Štukelj would have been even longer if Peter’s eyes were not slowly closing, so that he finished it the next day. On this occasion, Grandpa promised Peter to enroll him in a gym club as soon as he went to primary school.

“You know, Peter, Leon Štukelj also started exercising in order to be healthy and to grow faster in school. This is the real beginning!”

Read the other picture books in the series Olympic Stories...