Yelena Produnova
Encyclopedia
Yelena Sergeyevna Produnova, also known as Elena, is a female Russian gymnast
, living in Rostov-on-Don
, Rostov Oblast
, Russia.
Her senior international career lasted from 1995 to 2000, and earned her multiple world and Olympic medals, though gold always eluded her. She is known for her innovative and powerful skills on the vault
and floor exercise.
, Japan where the Russians finished fourth. Inexperienced, Produnova made little impact on the international scene. A heel injury hampered her chances of being chosen for the 1996 Summer Olympics
, and she stayed at home.
—the tumbles in her floor routine drew gasps of admiration. However, perhas the first inkling of her inconsistency came when she was unable to control her incredible power (Produnova kept taking large steps back to control her last tumbling pass). Still, Russia took team silver behind Romania, and Produnova claimed a pair of bronzes in the all-around and floor exercise.
. During the 1998 Cottbus, Produnova finished 2nd on the vault, 1st on the balance beam, and 2nd on the floor. However, she was unable to compete at the European Championships because of her injury. Had she been there, she had a legitimate chance of taking several medals.
The 1999 World Championships in Tianjin
, China saw strong performances from Produnova, where she was unlucky not to take any more individual medals. She finished fourth in the vault, bars, floor and all-around finals. The overall champion was Maria Olaru
. Russia once again finished second to Romania.
, and a silver on floor behind Ludivine Furnon
of France. These results and her victory in the Russian national championships gained Produnova a place on the team for the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.
In the preliminary round at the Olympics, the Russians were dominant. The quartet of Produnova, Khorkina, Yekaterina Lobaznyuk
and world vault champion Elena Zamolodchikova
would probably have been capable of gold even without the two other team members, and they all qualified for multiple finals. Though Romania were world champions, the Russians had beaten them earlier in the year and seemed likely to take the Olympic title.
However, it was not to be. Four of the six gymnasts fell in the team final, and ironically it was only the two unknown athletes on the team who competed without major error. Russia's superstars had succumbed to inconsistency and thrown away their chance at the Olympic title. As it happened, Produnova's mistake was not totally disastrous, since she sat down only one of two vaults and her score was dropped (at this time, teams could drop the lowest score on each apparatus therefore one fall was not too drastic). After her one error, she was a rock for her team, recording their highest scores on beam and bars. The same principle applied to Khorkina's fall from bars since the score did not have to count towards the team title, the mistake did not have to cost them the gold. Not for the first time, it was the beam that claimed Russia. Both Zamolodchikova and Lobaznyuk fell, and it was not until Produnova's solid performance that the Russians showed a clean routine. After that, their chances of gold had gone. The Russians performed fabulously on floor, and were the top scoring team there, but it was not enough. Romania were victorious, by a margin of only two tenths. Clearly disgusted, Produnova and Khorkina both removed their silver medals as they walked off the podium.
Produnova had qualified for the all-around finals, where she was a legitimate medal threat. However, she had broken her foot during the Olympics and, bitterly disappointed, had to withdraw. Teammate Elena Zamolodchikova took her place. Produnova's sadness was compounded when two of the three Russians fell, and none managed to make the podium. Her Olympics had turned into a nightmare.
However, Produnova was determined to grab her chance of individual Olympic glory, broken foot or not. She competed in both of the finals to which she had qualified, bars and beam. A mistake kept her out of the medals on bars. Beam was her final chance. A look of determination on her face, she hit her routine solidly and stuck her incredibly difficult double front dismount without so much as a waver. The reward was a bronze medal, behind Liu Xuan
of China and teammate Yekaterina Lobaznyuk
. Clearly delighted, Produnova punched the air as she received her medal.
and Svetlana Boginskaya
.
Gymnast
Gymnasts are people who participate in the sports of either artistic gymnastics, trampolining, or rhythmic gymnastics.See gymnasium for the origin of the word gymnast from gymnastikos.-Female artistic:Australia...
, living in Rostov-on-Don
Rostov-on-Don
-History:The mouth of the Don River has been of great commercial and cultural importance since the ancient times. It was the site of the Greek colony Tanais, of the Genoese fort Tana, and of the Turkish fortress Azak...
, Rostov Oblast
Rostov Oblast
Rostov Oblast is a federal subject of Russia , located in the Southern Federal District. Rostov Oblast has an area of and a population of making it the sixth most populous federal subject in Russia...
, Russia.
Her senior international career lasted from 1995 to 2000, and earned her multiple world and Olympic medals, though gold always eluded her. She is known for her innovative and powerful skills on the vault
Vault (gymnastics)
The vault is an artistic gymnastics apparatus, as well as the skill performed using that apparatus. Vaulting is also the action of performing a vault. Both male and female gymnasts perform the vault...
and floor exercise.
1995-96
Produnova's first major senior competition was the 1995 world championships in Sabae, FukuiSabae, Fukui
is a city located in Fukui, Japan.As of June 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 68,703 with 22,229 households and the density of 810.65 persons per km². The total area is 84.75 km².The city was founded on January 15, 1955.-Parks:...
, Japan where the Russians finished fourth. Inexperienced, Produnova made little impact on the international scene. A heel injury hampered her chances of being chosen for the 1996 Summer Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
, and she stayed at home.
1997
By 1997, these problems had been overcome. She wowed the crowd with her power at the 1997 world championships in LausanneLausanne
Lausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud. The seat of the district of Lausanne, the city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva . It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west...
—the tumbles in her floor routine drew gasps of admiration. However, perhas the first inkling of her inconsistency came when she was unable to control her incredible power (Produnova kept taking large steps back to control her last tumbling pass). Still, Russia took team silver behind Romania, and Produnova claimed a pair of bronzes in the all-around and floor exercise.
1998
In 1998, Produnova overcame an ankle injury. That year she also qualified 1st at the 1998 Russian Nationals and finished 5th in the All-Around and 3rd on the vaultVault (gymnastics)
The vault is an artistic gymnastics apparatus, as well as the skill performed using that apparatus. Vaulting is also the action of performing a vault. Both male and female gymnasts perform the vault...
. During the 1998 Cottbus, Produnova finished 2nd on the vault, 1st on the balance beam, and 2nd on the floor. However, she was unable to compete at the European Championships because of her injury. Had she been there, she had a legitimate chance of taking several medals.
1999
At the 1999 University Games, Produnova won vault and beam titles, and also finished 2nd in the AA and first in the team competition. It was here that she debuted her famous handspring double front vault, a feat that no woman has since matched in major competition.The 1999 World Championships in Tianjin
Tianjin
' is a metropolis in northern China and one of the five national central cities of the People's Republic of China. It is governed as a direct-controlled municipality, one of four such designations, and is, thus, under direct administration of the central government...
, China saw strong performances from Produnova, where she was unlucky not to take any more individual medals. She finished fourth in the vault, bars, floor and all-around finals. The overall champion was Maria Olaru
Maria Olaru
Maria Ludovica Olaru is a retired Olympic artistic gymnast from Romania. She is an Olympic, world, and European gold medalist with the team. Individually, she is the 1999 all around world champion and the 2000 Olympic all around silver medalist. Her best event was the vault on which she medaled at...
. Russia once again finished second to Romania.
2000
The 2000 European Championships saw Russia, with the help of Produnova, beat Romania for gold for the first time ever. Produnova also took a bronze on beam, behind teammate Svetlana KhorkinaSvetlana Khorkina
Svetlana Vasilyevna Khorkina is a popular Russian gymnast and seven-time Olympic medalist, who is now a deputy at the Russian State Duma. With an unprecedented nine gold, eight silver, and three bronze World Championships medals, she is one of the most successful female gymnasts of her era and has...
, and a silver on floor behind Ludivine Furnon
Ludivine Furnon
Ludivine Furnon is a retired Olympic athlete from France. She was the first French female gymnast ever to medal at the World Gymnastics Championships....
of France. These results and her victory in the Russian national championships gained Produnova a place on the team for the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.
In the preliminary round at the Olympics, the Russians were dominant. The quartet of Produnova, Khorkina, Yekaterina Lobaznyuk
Yekaterina Lobaznyuk
Yekaterina Ludmilovna Lobaznyuk is a former Olympic gymnast who competed for Russia in the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, winning three medals...
and world vault champion Elena Zamolodchikova
Elena Zamolodchikova
Elena Mikhailovna Zamolodchikova , nicknamed "Zamo", was a two-time Olympic gymnast. She began gymnastics at the age of six. In 1999 she participated in her first major senior competition, the World Gymnastics Championships, where she won the gold in vault, the bronze in the all-around...
would probably have been capable of gold even without the two other team members, and they all qualified for multiple finals. Though Romania were world champions, the Russians had beaten them earlier in the year and seemed likely to take the Olympic title.
However, it was not to be. Four of the six gymnasts fell in the team final, and ironically it was only the two unknown athletes on the team who competed without major error. Russia's superstars had succumbed to inconsistency and thrown away their chance at the Olympic title. As it happened, Produnova's mistake was not totally disastrous, since she sat down only one of two vaults and her score was dropped (at this time, teams could drop the lowest score on each apparatus therefore one fall was not too drastic). After her one error, she was a rock for her team, recording their highest scores on beam and bars. The same principle applied to Khorkina's fall from bars since the score did not have to count towards the team title, the mistake did not have to cost them the gold. Not for the first time, it was the beam that claimed Russia. Both Zamolodchikova and Lobaznyuk fell, and it was not until Produnova's solid performance that the Russians showed a clean routine. After that, their chances of gold had gone. The Russians performed fabulously on floor, and were the top scoring team there, but it was not enough. Romania were victorious, by a margin of only two tenths. Clearly disgusted, Produnova and Khorkina both removed their silver medals as they walked off the podium.
Produnova had qualified for the all-around finals, where she was a legitimate medal threat. However, she had broken her foot during the Olympics and, bitterly disappointed, had to withdraw. Teammate Elena Zamolodchikova took her place. Produnova's sadness was compounded when two of the three Russians fell, and none managed to make the podium. Her Olympics had turned into a nightmare.
However, Produnova was determined to grab her chance of individual Olympic glory, broken foot or not. She competed in both of the finals to which she had qualified, bars and beam. A mistake kept her out of the medals on bars. Beam was her final chance. A look of determination on her face, she hit her routine solidly and stuck her incredibly difficult double front dismount without so much as a waver. The reward was a bronze medal, behind Liu Xuan
Liu Xuan (gymnast)
Liu Xuan is a Chinese Gymnast. She was coached by Guo Xinming and Zhang Zhen.Liu said she took up gymnastics with encouragement from her mom, who had to cease gymnastics training during her younger years because of the closure of the gym during the Cultural Revolution...
of China and teammate Yekaterina Lobaznyuk
Yekaterina Lobaznyuk
Yekaterina Ludmilovna Lobaznyuk is a former Olympic gymnast who competed for Russia in the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, winning three medals...
. Clearly delighted, Produnova punched the air as she received her medal.
Skills named after her
Produnova has four skills named after her in the Gymnastics Code of Points:- On the Floor Exercise, a tour jete 1/2, landing in split
- On the balance beam, a jump forward with ½ twist to piked back saltoSaltoSalto may refer to:*Salto, a Latin word for "to leap/jump", and in gymnastics refers to a somersault* Glasflügel H-101 "Salto" -Organisations:...
- On the uneven bars, an uprise/clear hip to handstandHandstandA handstand is the act of supporting the body in a stable, inverted vertical position by balancing on the hands. In a basic handstand the body is held straight with arms and legs fully extended, with hands spaced approximately shoulder-width apart...
, Half turn to L or mixed L grip
- On the vaultVault (gymnastics)The vault is an artistic gymnastics apparatus, as well as the skill performed using that apparatus. Vaulting is also the action of performing a vault. Both male and female gymnasts perform the vault...
, a handspring double front salto (with A-score 7.1, the highest in 2009 Code of PointsCode of Points (artistic gymnastics)A Code of Points is a rulebook that defines the scoring system for each level of competition in gymnastics. There is no unified, international code of points; every oversight organization—such as FIG , NCAA Gymnastics, and most national gymnastics federations—designs and employs its own unique Code...
)
Personal
Produnova's favorite gymnasts are Elena Shushunova, Alexei NemovAlexei Nemov
Alexei Yurievich Nemov is a gymnast from Russia and one of the most medaled gymnasts, male or female, of all time. He has won 12 Olympic medals, including more Olympic bronze medals than any other athlete. Nemov's sense of showmanship and his difficult routines have won him many fans...
and Svetlana Boginskaya
Svetlana Boginskaya
Svetlana Leonidovna Boginskaya , is a Soviet/Belarusian gymnast. She was called the "Belarusian Swan" and the "Goddess of Gymnastics" because of her height, balletic grace, and long lines. She is especially renowned for the drama and artistry she displayed on floor exercise...
.