Meta Elste

Meta Eslte immigrated to Chicago when she was only three years old, and began her gymnastics career at age six. She was chosen nine times (1943-52) for AAU All-America honors as a gymnast and managed three national titles, the uneven parallel bars in 1947, floor exercise in 1949, and in 1952, she won the balance beam, breaking Clara Schroth Lomady’s string of 11 straight titles in this event. Elste-Neumann also won over 25 silver and bronze medals in the AAU Championships from 1941-52. She won a National Turners Championship in 1940 while competing for the Lincoln Turners of Chicago. She continued to compete in masters competition for many years, retiring after the 1972 Turners National Turnfest in Milwaukee, where she won the senior ladies AA division.