Alternative name(s) Yelena Name Elena Grosheva | ||
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Full name Elena Nikolayevna Grosheva Discipline Women's artistic gymnastics Olympic medals Gymnastics at the 1996 Summer Olympics – Women's artistic team all-around Similar People Dina Kochetkova, Rozalia Galiyeva, Svetlana Khorkina, Oksana Lyapina, Gina Gogean | ||
Elena grosheva 1996 atlanta olympic fx
Yelena Nikolayevna Grosheva (Russian: Елена Николаевна Грошева; born April 12, 1979) is a Russian former competitive gymnast. She won silver in the team event at the 1996 Summer Olympics and two team medals at the World Championships.
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Personal life
Grosheva was born on April 12, 1979 in Yaroslavl, Russia. In June 2006, she married Canadian composer Steve Barakatt. Guests at the wedding included her former teammates Svetlana Khorkina and Ludmila Ezhova.
Career
Grosheva took up gymnastics at the age of five and showed a natural talent for the sport. In 1992, she was sent to Round Lake to train as part of the national team. Her first big competition was the 1994 Junior European Championships and later the same year she went to the World Championships.
In 1996, Grosheva finished second all-around in the Russian Cup and became a member of the Olympic team. At the Olympic Games in Atlanta, the Russian team was in the lead after the compulsories, but in the finals she and her teammates had to compete against the noise from the American crowds and finished second behind the Americans. She placed into vault event finals, but finished a disappointing 7th. Her floor exercise scores had placed her highest among the Russians for event finals, but she was replaced by teammate Dina Kochetkova.
Post-competitive career
After being hampered by injuries Grosheva retired from the sport and joined Cirque du Soleil. In March 2007, she was appointed UNICEF Canada Goodwill Ambassador with her husband.