Jean Cronstedt

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Jean Cronstedt
Full nameJean Leopold Cronstedt
Nickname(s)Janne
Born (1932-10-06) 6 October 1932 (age 93)
Helsinki, Finland
Height1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Gymnastics career
Discipline Men's artistic gymnastics
Country
represented
Sweden
ClubStockholms Gymnastikförening

Jean Leopold Cronstedt (born 6 October 1932) is a Swedish former gymnast and physician. He represented Sweden in eight events at the 1960 Summer Olympics. [1] Prior to his Olympic career, Cronstedt was a dominant figure in American collegiate gymnastics at Pennsylvania State University, where he won multiple NCAA individual championships, including the all-around titles in 1953 and 1954. [2]

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In February 2025, he was inducted into the College Gymnastics Association Hall of Fame for his significant contributions to the sport. Following his retirement from competitive gymnastics, he pursued a career in medicine, specializing as a gastroenterologist and practicing in Sweden, South Africa, and Saudi Arabia. [3]

Early life

Jean Cronstedt was born in Helsinki, Finland, into the Swedish-speaking Finnish Cronstedt family Cronstedt (family)  [ fi ]. [4] He is of partial Spanish descent through his paternal grandfather, Jean Cronstedt (banker)  [ fi ], who served as the CEO of the Union Bank of Finland. [5]

In 1940, during World War II, Cronstedt was sent to Sweden as a Finnish war child. After the war, he returned to Helsinki before moving to the United States for his higher education at Pennsylvania State University. He eventually settled in Sweden and acquired Swedish citizenship. [6]

References

  1. "Jean Cronstedt Olympic Results". International Olympic Committee. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
  2. "Three Former Men's Gymnasts and the 1954 Team Inducted into the College Gymnastics Association Hall of Fame". Penn State Athletics. 14 February 2025. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
  3. "Gymnastics History: Jean Cronstedt". Svensk Gymnastikhistoria. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
  4. "Jean Cronstedt Biography". Svensk Gymnastikhistoria.
  5. https://kansallisbiografia.fi/talousvaikuttajat/henkilo/355
  6. https://www.olympics.com/en/athletes/jean-cronstedt