Career
Chechi was named after cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin. Chechi"s bronze was the result of his attempted comeback into the sport at the age of 35, well above what is considered the average age of a male gymnast. Jury Chechi dominated his specialty, the rings, during the nineties, so he was named "The Lord of the Rings", however he could not participate in the Barcelona 1992 and Sydney 2000 Olympic games due to serious injuries.
Chechi was the Italian flagbearer at the opening ceremony in the Athens Games in 2004.
He also participated in the 2006 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in Turin. 3rd Class / Commander: Commendatore Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana
— 27 September 2004.
Initiative by President of the Italian Republic Carlo Azeglio Ciampi.