Elena Pirozhkova

Elena Sergey Pirozhkova (born October 13, 1986) is a Russian-born American wrestler who competed for the United States Olympic team in 2012 and 2016. She was the 2012 World Champion, wrestling in the 63 kg weight class. She won the gold medal at the Pan American championships in 2008, 2009, and 2010. She won the silver medal in 2010 and 2014, and won the bronze medal in 2013, at the World Championships. She placed 5th at the 2011 World Championships. She made eight straight U.S. World Teams (2008–15), and won seven straight U.S. Open titles (2009–15).

Pirozhkova was born in Russia but grew up in Greenfield, Massachusetts. She left Russia and moved to the United States of America when she was three years old. She attended Greenfield High School in Massachusetts.

Personal life

Pirozhkova was married to former Cuba-born American Greco-Roman wrestler, Alan Vera, they welcomed their first child in June 2024, just three months before Vera's death.