37 today: As an Olympic champion, Lilia “Lily Pod” Podkopayeva affirmed her status as the premier women’s gymnast in the mid-1990s with gold medal wins in the European Championships, Worlds, and the Olympics.
At age 17 and holding the top titles at every level of competition, Podkopayeva was the first athlete ever to win multiple medals while representing the Ukraine, following the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
Known best for her amazing floor exercise routines, Podkopayeva is the only woman in the world to execute an Arabian double front brani out in her routine.
She was first named to the Ukrainian national team at just 11 years old and went on to win the all-round and vault titles at the 1995 World Championships as well as the all-round and floor exercise gold medals at the 1996 Olympics.
27 today: Oussama Assaidi, Moroccan footballer, plays as a winger for Al Ahli in Dubai.
22 today: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, international football, plays as a winger for Arsenal and England.
