A three-time Olympian (1972, 1976 and 1980). He won a total of fifteen Olympic medals, including gold in the all-around, floor exercise, rings and vault in the 1976 Montreal Olympics. Described as a natural gymnast, he won every major competition there was, including the World Cup, European Championships, and the World Championships (1978).

His impressive career spanning a period of six years from 1983 to 1989 includes a combined total of eighteen World and Olympic medals, ten of which are gold medals that include the all-around, parallel bars and high bar titles at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. He is well remembered for his impeccable technique on parallel bars, an event in which he won three world titles (1983, 1987, and 1989). He also finished second in the all-around at the 1985 World Championships and 3rd in the all-around at the 1987 World Championships.

One of the most gifted gymnast that the former Soviet Union ever produced. He won the 1981 and 1985 World all-around championship including titles on floor exercise, rings and vault. With his individual World Championship and World Cup medals tally of twenty one, he is without question the most decorated non-Olympian (male or female) gymnast of all time. He could have been the greatest gymnast in history had not the USSR boycotted the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics and an Achilles tendon injury prevented him from competing at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

At the 1980 Moscow Olympics, he medalled in every gymnastics events, eight in all (including gold medals in the all-around and rings), setting the Olympic record for the most medals won in one Olympic games, a record that still stands today, tied only with Michael Phelps, who achieved the feat at the 2004 Athens Olympics. He was also the 1979 World all-around, vault, and rings champion.