This Greatest Gymnasts of All Time list isn’t here to be polite—it’s here to force a decision.
Simone Biles vs Nadia Comăneci is the obvious headline, but that’s just the start. Do you value perfection or progression? Execution or difficulty? The moment everyone remembers or the résumé no one can match?
Then it gets messy. Larisa Latynina’s medal count vs modern dominance. Svetlana Khorkina’s attitude vs Gabby Douglas’ impact. Rebeca Andrade pushing the current standard vs legends who defined it.
And don’t ignore the men. Kohei Uchimura vs Vitaly Scherbo is its own war—longevity vs peak dominance.
There’s no clean way to rank this. Every matchup breaks a different rule.
That’s the point.
Pick your side. Then defend it.
Simone Biles is currently the #1 Greatest Gymnasts of All Time winning 80.4% head-to-head battles.
Mary Lou Retton is currently the #2 Greatest Gymnasts of All Time winning 73.6% head-to-head battles.
Nadia Comăneci is currently the #3 Greatest Gymnasts of All Time winning 67.9% head-to-head battles.
Olga Korbut is currently the #4 Greatest Gymnasts of All Time winning 62.0% head-to-head battles.
Gabby Douglas is currently the #5 Greatest Gymnasts of All Time winning 51.1% head-to-head battles.
Suni Lee is currently the #6 Greatest Gymnasts of All Time winning 38.9% head-to-head battles.
Kohei Uchimura is currently the #7 Greatest Gymnasts of All Time winning 37.8% head-to-head battles.
Rebeca Andrade is currently the #8 Greatest Gymnasts of All Time winning 36.1% head-to-head battles.
Svetlana Khorkina is currently the #9 Greatest Gymnasts of All Time winning 30.3% head-to-head battles.
Vitaly Scherbo is currently the #10 Greatest Gymnasts of All Time winning 29.4% head-to-head battles.
Nastia Liukin is currently the #11 Greatest Gymnasts of All Time winning 20.7% head-to-head battles.
Larisa Latynina is currently the #12 Greatest Gymnasts of All Time winning 11.5% head-to-head battles.