Before Nadia Comăneci’s and Nellie Kim’s perfect 10s at the 1976 Olympic Games, there was a long line of gymnasts who obtained perfect scores at the Olympic Games, the World Championships, or the European Championships. (Originally, the World Championships were called the International Tournament.)
Some of them even managed perfect totals, meaning that they received the maximum score for their compulsory and optional routines combined.
So, here’s a chronological list of the gymnasts who were “perfect” before Comăneci and Kim.
Disclaimer: There certainly are more gymnasts whose scores have been lost to history or are gathering dust in an archive somewhere. If I ever find them, I will update this list.
1905 International Tournament
Perfect Total
| Gymnast | Team/Nation | Total | Event |
| Marcel Lalu | France | 36.0 | High Bar |
That meant that Lalu scored a perfect 12.0 on his two compulsory routines, as well as his optional routine.
Additional Perfect Scores
In addition, Joseph Martinez of France scored a 35.75 on high bar, which meant that he scored 12.0s on two of his three routines.
| Gymnast | Team/Country | Score | Event |
| Joseph Martinez | France | 12.0 12.0 | High Bar |
Source: Olympische Turnkunst, July 1966
More here: 1905: The World Championships That Almost Didn’t Happen
1907 International Tournament
There were several perfect scores in Prague, and there was one perfect total.
Perfect Total
| Gymnast | Team/Nation | Total | Event |
| François Vidal | France | 24.0 | High Bar |
Additional Perfect Scores
During the preliminary calisthenic exercises, the following gymnasts received perfect 10s:
| Gymnast | Team/Country | Score | Exercise |
| Josef Seidl | Czech Sokols | 10.0 | Fifth |
| Josef Čada | Czech Sokols | 10.0 10.0 | First Fifth |
| Joseph Lux | France | 10.0 10.0 | Second Fifth |
| Louis Ségura | France | 10.0 10.0 | First Fifth |
| Pol. Giesenfeld | Belgium | 10.0 10.0 10.0 | Second Fourth Fifth |
| Leo Pauwels | Belgium | 10.0 | Fourth |
In addition to the 10.0s above, there were perfect 12s on the apparatus:
| Gymnast | Team/Country | Score | Event |
| František Erben | Czech Sokols | 12.0 | Parallel Bars, Optionals |
| František Erben | Czech Sokols | 12.0 | High Bar, Optionals |
| Georges Charmoille | France | 12.0 | High Bar, Optionals |
| Jules Rolland | France | 12.0 | High Bar, Optionals |
| Joseph Lux | France | 12.0 | High Bar, Optionals |
| Louis Ségura | France | 12.0 | High Bar, Optionals |
Source: V. slet všesokolský 1907: pamětní list vydaný péči
More here: 1907: Perfect Scores Abound at the World Championships in Prague
1909 International Tournament
Perfect Totals
| Gymnast | Team/Country | Total | Event |
| Joseph Martinez | France | 24.0 | Parallel Bars |
| Joseph Martinez | France | 24.0 | High Bar |
Additional Perfect Scores
To receive a 23.75 meant that the gymnast received a perfect 12 on one routine and an 11.75 on another routine. (Without the score sheets, it’s impossible to know whether the perfect routine was on compulsories or optionals.) The following gymnasts scored 23.75s:
| Gymnast | Country/Team | Score | Event |
| Auguste Castille | France | 12.0 | Parallel Bars |
| Josef Čada | Czech Sokols | 12.0 | Parallel Bars |
| Josef Čada | Czech Sokols | 12.0 | High Bar |
| František Erben | Czech Sokols | 12.0 | High Bar |
| Karel Fuks | Slovenian Sokols | 12.0 | High Bar |
| Guido Romano | Italy | 12.0 | Rings |
| Marco Torrès | France | 12.0 | Parallel Bars |
| Marco Torrès | France | 12.0 | Rings |
Source: Olympische Turnkunst, March 1967
More here: 1909: French Algerian Gymnasts Dominate the World Championships
1911 International Tournament
Perfect Totals
| Gymnast | Team/Country | Total | Exercise |
| Giorgio Zampori | Italy | 24.0 | Parallel Bars |
| Josef Czada | Czech Sokols | 24.0 | High Bar |
| Ferdinand Steiner | Czech Sokols | 24.0 | Rings |
| Osvaldo Palazzi | Italy | 24.0 | Pommel Horse |
Additional Perfect Scores
To receive a 23.75 meant that the gymnast received a perfect 12 on one routine and an 11.75 on another routine. The following gymnasts scored 23.75s:
| Gymnast | Country/Team | Score | Event |
| Dominique Follacci | France | 12.0 | Rings |
| Pietro Bianchi | Italy | 12.0 | Rings |
| Antoine Costa | France | 12.0 | Rings |
| Dominique Follacci | France | 12.0 | Parallel Bars |
| Marco Torrès | France | 12.0 | High Bar |
Source: Olympische Turnkunst, August 1967
1913 International Tournament
Perfect Totals
| Gymnast | Country/Team | Total | Event |
| Josef Czada | Czech Sokols | 20.00 | High Bar |
| Marco Torrès | France | 20.00 | High Bar |
| Giorgio Zampori | Italy | 30.00 | Preliminary Calisthenics |
| Giorgio Zampori | Italy | 20.00 | Parallel Bars |
| Guido Boni | Italy | 20.00 | Parallel Bars |
| Vinko Rabič | Slovenian Sokols | 30.00 | Preliminary Calisthenics |
Additional Perfect Scores
- Given that Josef Sýkora of the Czech Sokols scored 29.50 during the preliminary calisthenics, he received at least one perfect 10.
- Given that Marco Torrès of France scored 29.75, he received two perfect 10s during the preliminary calisthenics.
| Gymnast | Country/Team | Score | Event |
| Josef Sýkora | Czech Sokols | 10.0 | Prelim. Calisthenics |
| Marco Torrès | France | 10.0 10.0 | Prelim. Calisthenics |
The following gymnasts scored a 19.75 on an apparatus routine, which meant that they scored one 10.0 on either their compulsory or optional routines:
| Gymnast | Country/Team | Score | Event |
| Laurent Grech | France | 10.0 | Rings |
| Marco Torrès | France | 10.0 | Rings |
| Giorgio Zampori | Italy | 10.0 | Pommel Horse |
| Giorgio Zampori | Italy | 10.0 | Rings |
| Guido Boni | Italy | 10.0 | Rings |
Source: Sokol, 1913, 12
1922 World Championships
Perfect Totals
| Gymnast | Country/Team | Total | Event |
| Stanislav Jindruch | Czechoslovakia | 30.00 | Preliminary Calisthenics |
| Leon Štukelj | Yugoslavia | 20.00 | Parallel Bars |
Additional Perfect Scores
Mathematically speaking, because Josef Malý, František Vaněček, and Peter Šumi scored 29.50s in the preliminary calisthenics, they received at least one 10.0.
And because Slavko Hlastan scored a 29.75 in the preliminary calisthenics, he received two 10.0s.
| Gymnast | Country | Score | Event |
| Slavko Hlastan | Yugoslavia | 10.0 10.0 | Prelim. Calisthenics |
| Josef Malý | Czechoslovakia | 10.0 | Prelim. Calisthenics |
| František Vaněček | Czechoslovakia | 10.0 | Prelim. Calisthenics |
| Peter Šumi | Yugoslavia | 10.0 | Prelim. Calisthenics |
To receive a 19.75 meant that the gymnast received a perfect 10 on one routine and a 9.75 on another routine. The following gymnasts scored 19.75s on an event:
| Gymnast | Country | Score | Event |
| Leon Štukelj | Yugoslavia | 10.0 | High Bar |
| Peter Šumi | Yugoslavia | 10.0 | High Bar |
| Dr. Miroslav Klinger | Czechoslovakia | 10.0 | High Bar |
| Leon Štukelj | Yugoslavia | 10.0 | Rings |
| Peter Šumi | Yugoslavia | 10.0 | Rings |
| Miroslav Karásek | Czechoslovakia | 10.0 | Rings |
| Josef Malý | Czechoslovakia | 10.0 | Rings |
Source: Štukelj, Mojih sedem svetovnih tekmovanj
1924 Olympics
Perfect Scores
| Gymnast | Country/Team | Score | Event |
| Albert Séguin | France | 10.0 | Side Horse Vault, Compulsory |
| Giorgio Zampori | Italy | 11.0 | Parallel Bars, Optionals |
| Leon Štukelj | Yugoslavia | 11.0 | Rings, Optionals |
| Ladislav Vácha | Czechoslovakia | 11.0 | Rings, Optionals |
Source: Štukelj, Mojih sedem svetovnih tekmovanj
More: 1924: The First Perfect 10 in Gymnastics at the Olympic Games
1926 International Tournament
Perfect Score
| Gymnast | Country/Team | Score | Event |
| Leon Štukelj | Yugoslavia | 16.0 | Rings Optionals |
Note: Leon Štukelj received three 10s for his optional routine on high bar. However, he received only 0.90 for his mount and dismount. So, his final score of 15.90 was not quite perfect.
Source: Štukelj, Mojih sedem svetovnih tekmovanj
1928 Olympics
Perfect Score
| Gymnast | Country/Team | Score | Event |
| Eugen Mack | Switzerland | 30.0 | Vault, Compulsories |
The compulsory and optional vaults were averaged together. Eugen Mack scored 27.50 for his optional vault, resulting in an average of 28.75 points (and a gold medal).
Source: Štukelj, Mojih sedem svetovnih tekmovanj
More: 1928: A Costly Math Error during the Men’s Competition at the Amsterdam Olympics
1930: World Championships
Perfect Totals
| Gymnast | Team/Country | Total | Event |
| István Pelle | Hungary | 32.0 | High Bar |
| Emanuel Löffler | Czechoslovakia | 32.0 | Rings |
Additional Perfect Scores
| Gymnast | Team/Country | Total | Event |
| Nikolaus Péter | Hungary | 16.0 | High Bar, Optionals |
| Leon Štukelj | Yugoslavia | 16.0 | High Bar, Optionals |
| Josip Primožič | Yugoslavia | 16.0 | Pommel Horse, Compulsories |
Source: Štukelj, Mojih sedem svetovnih tekmovanj
1934 World Championships
Perfect Total
| Gymnast | Team/Country | Total | Event |
| Eugen Mack | Switzerland | 20.0 | Vault |
Source: Olympische Turnkunst, February 1968; Világ- és Európa-bajnokságok, 1893-1973; Der Bund, June 3, 1934
More: 1934: Math Problems and Two Perfect 10s during the Men’s Competition at the World Championships
1938 World Championships
Perfect Score
| Gymnast | Team/Country | Score | Event |
| Eugen Mack | Switzerland | 10.0 | Vault, Optionals |
Source: Neue Zürcher Nachrichten, July 2, 1938; Sokol (Czechoslovakia), 1938, 6-8
More: 1938: Another Perfect 10 and Shot Put Struggles during the Men’s Competition at the World Championships
1950 World Championships
Perfect Score
| Gymnast | Team/Country | Score | Event |
| Hans Eugster | Switzerland | 10.0 | Parallel Bars, Compulsories |
Source: Gazette de Lausanne, July 17, 1950.
More: 1950: A Perfect 10 in the Men’s Competition at the World Championships
1967 European Championships
Perfect Scores
| Gymnast | Team/Country | Score | Event |
| Věra Čáslavská | Czechoslovakia | 10.0 | Beam, Event Finals |
| Věra Čáslavská | Czechoslovakia | 10.0 | Floor, Event Finals |
Source: U.S. Gymnast, August 1967
More: 1967: Čáslavská’s 10.0s at the Women’s European Championships
Note
There were more perfect scores at national and smaller international competitions. For example, between 1964 and 1968, there was a flurry of 10.0s at women’s national competitions, including:
- Grossfeld — Floor — 1964 U.S. Olympic Trials
- Čáslavská – Floor – 1966 Czechoslovak Nationals
- Zuchold – Floor – 1968 East German Championships
- Zuchold – Vault – 1968 East German Championships
- Janz – Vault – 1968 East German Championships
- Petrik – Vault – 1968 Soviet Nationals
- Petrik – Floor – 1968 Soviet Nationals
- Kuchinskaya – Bars – 1968 Soviet Nationals
- Voronina – Floor – 1968 USSR Cup
Another example: During the qualification process for the 1976 Olympics, Comăneci scored 10.0s on six of her eight routines in Ontario, Canada (Source: De Volkskrant, February 28, 1976).
Note #2
The 10.0 system had been in question long before the 1976 Olympics. You can read a few articles here: