Olena Vitrychenko

Olena Ihorivna Vitrychenko (, ; born 25 November 1976), also known as Elena or Yelena Vitrichenko, is a Ukrainian former rhythmic gymnast who primarily competed as an individual. She is the 1996 Olympics bronze medalist, the 1997 World all-around champion, and the 1997 European all-around champion. She now coaches in the United States.

Career Olena Vitrychenko was introduced to the sport in 1980 when she was four years old by her mother, Nina, herself a former rhythmic gymnast. Her mother alleged that they were essentially kicked out of the Deriugins school by not being allowed full training time and rarely being allowed to practice routines with music.

At the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Vitrychenko seemed to be a contender for the gold medal, having placed first after preliminaries and second after the semi-finals. She was the only gymnast to perform clean routines on all days of the competition, including during the final; she finished with a good ribbon routine after Kateryna Serebrianska and Yana Batyrshina both dropped their ribbons during the last round of the competition finals. However, she placed third, a result that was controversial. Vitrychenko said in a 1998 interview that she felt "there was a little bit of unfair judging" at the event, though she defended having her own mother judge her at other events, pointing to the hoop final at the 1997 World Championships, where her mother scored her under Natalia Lipkovskaya, who won the final. the 1997 Summer Universiade, and the 1997 World Championships, where she additionally won three of the event finals. At the 1999 World Championships, she was fifth in the all-around but won the hoop and rope titles with perfect 10 scores.

Vitrychenko at the 1999 European ChampionshipsAt the peak of a long and well-publicized feud with the head of the Ukrainian Rhythmic Gymnastics Federation, Irina Deriugina, Vitrychenko was placed 19th in the qualification round at the 2000 European Championships in Zaragoza, Spain, and she withdrew in protest. After an official review determined that certain judges had clearly discriminated against Vitrichenko, Deriugina and five other judges were banned for one year. The other 26 judges at the event were not allowed to judge the Olympics.

Afterward, the International Olympic Committee awarded her a spot on the Ukrainian Olympic team. She performed well at the Olympics, finishing in fourth place behind Alina Kabaeva. She retired in 2000. In 2014, she opened her own gym, which moved to Libertyville, Illinois in 2024.

Personal life Vitrychenko has three children.

Hoop Toccata and Fugue in D Minor by Vanessa Mae Rope (second) Bumble Bee Boogie by Robert Wells Rope (first) Ty zh mene pidmanula by Vladimir Bustriakov (Ukrainian traditional) Ball Apassionata by Secret Garden Ribbon Plaza of Execution / Stealing the Map music from The Mask of Zorro by James Horner

Hoop Steppe by Rene Aubry Rope (second) Ty zh mene pidmanula by Vladimir Bustriakov (Ukrainian traditional) Rope (first) Plaza of Execution / Stealing the Map music from The Mask of Zorro by James Horner Ball Apassionata by Secret Garden Ribbon (second) Harlem Nocturne by Sam Taylor Ribbon (first) Theme from Rainman by Hans Zimmer

Hoop Saltimbanco music from Cirque du Soleil: Saltimbanco by Rene Dupere Clubs Birimbau (from Mystère, Cirque du Soleil) by Rene Dupere Rope Seisouso music from Quidam by Benoît Jutras Ribbon One Man's Dream by Yanni

Hoop Saltimbanco music from Cirque du Soleil: Saltimbanco by Rene Dupere Clubs (second) Birimbau (from Mystère, Cirque du Soleil) by Rene Dupere Clubs (first) Latino by Anatoly Vekshin Rope The Heat (from Birdy) by Peter Gabriel Ribbon One Man's Dream by Yanni

Ball ? Rope Sing, Sing, Sing by Benjamin Goodman Clubs ? Ribbon Pink Panther, by Henry Mancini

Ball Echano by Chuck Mangione Rope (second) Sing, Sing, Sing by Benjamin Goodman Rope (first) Toccata & Fugue in D minor by Johann Sebastian Bach Clubs ? Ribbon (second) Carmen SuiteScene from Carmen Suite by Rodion Shchedrin/ Bizet Ribbon (first) Boléro by Maurice Ravel

Ball Toccata and Fugue in D Minor by Johann Sebastian Bach Rope Marche en la by Ennio Morricone Clubs Eclipse (from Nouvelle Experience, Cirque du Soleil) by Rene Dupere Ribbon Peer Gynt Suite No.1: In The Hall Of The Mountain King music from Peer Gynt by Edvard Grieg

Ball (second) Marche en la by Ennio Morricone Ball (first) Peer Gynt Suite No.1: In The Hall Of The Mountain King music from Peer Gynt by Edvard Grieg Hoop ? Clubs Rhapsody in Blue / Fascinating Rhythm by George Gershwin Ribbon ?

Detailed Olympic results Year Competition description Location Music Apparatus Score-Final Score-Qualifying 2000 Olympics Sydney All-around 39.408 39.399 Plaza of Execution / Stealing the Map music from The Mask of Zorro by James Horner Ribbon 9.875 9.883 Sing, Sing, Sing by Benjamin Goodman Rope 9.825 9.850 Pink Dream by Anatoly Vekshin Ball 9.875 9.866 Toccata and Fugue in D Minor by Vanessa Mae Hoop 9.883 9.800 Year Competition description Location Music Apparatus Score-Final Score-Qualifying 1996 Olympics Atlanta All-around 39.331 39.266 unknown music Ribbon 9.816 9.866 Sing, Sing, Sing by Benjamin Goodman Rope 9.866 9.750 Pink Dream by Anatoly Vekshin Ball 9.800 9.900 unknown music Clubs 9.849 9.750

Honours Longines Prize for Elegance: 1999 Orders