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Vitaly Venediktovich Scherbo (born 13 January 1972) is a Belarus former artistic gymnast. One of the most successful gymnasts of all time, he is the only male gymnast ever to have won a world title in all 8 events (individual all-around in 1993, team in 1991, floor in 1994, 1995 and 1996, horizontal bar in 1994, parallel bars in 1993 and 1995, pommel horse in 1992, rings in 1992, vault in 1993 and 1994). He was the most successful athlete at the 1992 Summer Olympics, winning 6 of 8 events – team, all-around, and 4 of the 6 event finals.
Scherbo and his wife Irina relocated to the United States, settling in State College, Pennsylvania. The move enabled them to take advantage of Scherbo's Olympic success. He followed up on his Olympic accomplishments placing first in the 1993 World All-Around title, third place in 1994 and second place in 1995's World All-Around title.
On 13 December 1995, Scherbo's wife Irina was involved in a single car accident, in which she skidded off a road, and slammed into a tree. She suffered multiple fractures to her ribs and pelvis, lapsed into a coma, and her internal injuries were so severe that doctors told her husband that she only had a 1 in 100 chance of surviving. Scherbo stopped his training altogether. He gained 15 pounds, and began abusing alcohol. After a month, Irina finally woke up from her coma, and insisted that her husband resume his training for the upcoming Olympic season. As his wife made a recovery, Scherbo similarly began to regain peak physical condition, winning yet another World title in 1996. At the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, his performances reflected his lack of preparation time, both due to his wife's accident and a recent shoulder surgery.
Scherbo had planned to compete in the 1997 World Championships but broke his hand in a motorcycle accident before then and retired soon after.
Sexual assault allegations
In October 2017, former Ukrainian Olympic champion gymnast Tatiana Gutsu accused Scherbo of violently raping her when she was 15, when they were at the USSR national team training camp in 1991.
Eponymous skills
Scherbo (vault) – a Yurchenko-style vault defined by its unique entry, specifically a full twist within the back-handspring between the springboard and the vaulting table.
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Categories: 1972 Births, Living People, Gymnasts From Minsk, Soviet Male Artistic Gymnasts, Belarusian Male Artistic Gymnasts, World Champion Gymnasts, European Champions In Gymnastics, Medalists At The World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, Olympic Gold Medalists For The Unified Team, Olympic Gymnasts For The Unified Team, Olympic Bronze Medalists For Belarus, Olympic Gymnasts For Belarus, Gymnasts At The 1992 Summer Olympics, Gymnasts At The 1996 Summer Olympics, Olympic Medalists In Gymnastics, Belarusian Emigrants To The United States, Medalists At The 1996 Summer Olympics, Medalists At The 1992 Summer Olympics, Summer World University Games Medalists In Gymnastics, Fisu World University Games Gold Medalists For Belarus, Fisu World University Games Silver Medalists For Belarus, Competitors At The 1990 Goodwill Games, Originators Of Elements In Artistic Gymnastics, People Convicted Of Domestic Violence, Soviet Rapists
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