The first was beating Nadia Comaneci to win the 1978 All-Around title which marked her rise to the very top of the gymnastics world, but also her unfortunate demise. That was the story of Elena Mukhina a star that had just begun to rise before her Olympic career was tragically cut short. It was enough to declare Mikhail Klimenko a coach with repeat success and from that point forward, he could never be dismissed as an untalented coach who had simply gotten lucky with Mukhina. Mukhina crash-landed, snapping her spine. Before their partnership, both had witnessed unsuccessful careers, but found instant success as soon as they joined forces. Her battle was now an entirely different one: to find some quality of life to accompany her immobility. Among the negativity, Strug tweeted a message of support for Biles' decision - her own story proving just how important it was for Biles to step back. The clips can be found in the above YouTube video. On their own, neither seemed capable of accomplishing the goals they so desperately wanted to achieve. Mukhina was reported to have fallen on first on bars (July 9th), then on the beam, (July 14th) and it wasn't until July 16th that the AP correctly reported she had been injured on floor. Elena Mukhina passed away in 2006, 11 months later Mikhail Klimenko passed away at the age of 65. Stella Zakharova compared him to infamous Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet and called Klimenko a tyrant. Maria Filatova referred to Klimenko as a beast and when given the option to be coached by him said, I wouldnt go to Klimenko even at gunpoint. Both were members of the 1980 Soviet Olympic team and had trained alongside Mukhina. But Morgan hit back, tweeting: "Athletesare now deemed more courageous, inspiring & heroic if they lose or quit then if they win or tough it out, which is ridiculous. Note: It is for the reader to decide whether Klimenkos conduct in the Mukhina tapes constitutes emotional/mental abuse, it is not my intention to imply that it is. During an interview with Ogonyok magazine, Mukhina blamed the doctors at TsITO (Central Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics), who were tending to the Soviet Nation Team for attempting to push her back into training too soon. As a result, abusive coaches pivoted even more towards mental/emotional abuse. The tweet sparked an insane backlash, with people slamming Morgan for his comments. https://www.youtube.com/c/RAEscape/videos, Your email address will not be published. The Afghan athletes here talked to Western reporters, but sidestepped all political questions. Sign Up. But that didn't stop her from handwriting a letter 18 months later. In the quiet corner of a Moscow cemetery, a black slab of marble stands surrounded by the December snow. We offer you the possibility to receive RT's news highlights every Monday, Wednesday and Friday by email. The slightest lapse - whether it be physical or mental - can be life changing, sometimes even fatal. The balance of power appeared to be shifting. You took care of yourself. However, unlike the popular narrative - Strug performed that vault under pressure from her coach, injuring her ankle further. Klimeko asked this knowing full well what Mukhinas answer would be, but he asked anyway to remind Mukhina that leaving him was an unrealistic option. Elena Mukhina-41977 1978 1979 UPUP RIA Novosti, Mukhina was taken under the tutelege of Klimenko. During her Ogonyok magazine interview, she said one of the National Team coaches showed up at her hospital room the day after her surgery and flat out told her that she wasnt conscientious, and that she could still train in a cast. When she was five years old both her parents passed away and she would end up being raised by her grandmother, Anna Ivanovna. I didn't want to use a stupid song in the background, it HAD to be meaningful. Elena Mukhina was born on the 1st of June, 1960. (VIDEO), Khabib says Hasbulla can become billionaire. Born In 1960. It took near-perfect timing to avoid either under-rotation and landing on the chin or over-rotation and landing on the back of the head. Mukhinas career ended in tragedy, an injury on the eve of the 1980 Olympics left her paralyzed from the neck down just one month after celebrating her 20th birthday. ELENA MUKHINA 1978 WORLD'S ALL-AROUND-ALL 4 ROUTINES! The Old Man and the Sea.". The extreme political dynamics of the era that Mukhinas athletic career were defined by, and her rapidly rising up the ranks so fast, that it should have been impossible. TM. This article reminded me a lot of the recent NY times piece by Maggie Astor on this topic, thanks for highlighting the importance of mental health to maintain safety in high level sport. But the most eerie thing of all, is how many parallels this footage has to problems that are currently at the forefront of gymnastics as the sport tries to change its culture. What followed was months, turned years, of cover-ups. I understood that sooner or later this would really happen. I was on the operating table right after lunch. What Klimenko was dangling over Mukhinas head was the prospect of her going it alone and to leave the closest thing she had to a father-figure. "I saw how they carried me out of the hall. After analyzing all the information available, I believe Mukhina is completely correct to pin a majority of the blame on the Soviet WAG program as a whole. Rivals in the arena, Comaneci and Mukhina were united in the debilitating pressures they had faced to reach the top. Klimenko had broken Mukhina mentally, and he had also broken her physically. She recalled later in an interview with the Russian magazine Ogoniok, "They removed the cast and I was walking crookedly. With less than a year until the 1980 Summer Olympics to be held in Moscow, the pressure was on the Soviet team coaches and doctors to get the previous All Around champion Mukhina back on her feet and ready for the games. The Elena Mukhina tapes are only 3.5 minutes in length, and in that short time we get a wide range of historic symbolism. It must be remembered that this documentary was being filmed in 1978 when the Soviet Union had extreme censorship standards in place. Elena Mukhina, the sensitive Soviet gymnast who won the women's all-around world championship in 1978 and dreamed of regaining her lost form at the Moscow Olympics, crushed several vertebrae in her neck in a training accident and is hospitalized in Minsk following surgery, Soviet officials reported today. "Emotionally, that kind of varies on the time and moment. I thought you would like it given your interests in WAG history. Sorry, you got paralyzed but heres a shiny medal. Mukhina wasnt being coerced into solving a difficult math problem on the chalk board, but to keep working past her physical limits as she was encouraged to perform increasingly more dangerous acrobatic stunts. At the time, Soviet officials were being pressured to build a team which was superior to that of the Romanians. All rights reserved. RIP Women's Gymnastics Good People Amazing People Female Gymnast Picture Video ELENA MUKHINA 1978 WORLD'S ALL-AROUND-ALL 4 ROUTINES! It was, however, from these inauspicious beginnings that a prodigious talent was born. Elena Mukhina : biography June 1, 1960 - December 22, 2006 With lingering weakness in her leg and mounting exhaustion from the grueling weight loss workouts, Mukhina had great difficulty coming back up to speed on what was to be the new end element of one of her floor exercise tumbling passes, the Thomas salto. Her coach rushed her recovery from an injury and pressured her to perform a dangerous move (the Thomas salto), which caused her to break her neck, leaving her a lifelong quadriplegic. Elena Mukhina recibi en la Orden Olmpica de Plata en 1981, un ao despus de su lesin. She also expressed a . Likewise, there was desperation from Klimenko to get Mukhina back on her feet and into training to ensure she made the team. Elena Vyacheslavovna Mukhina ( first name sometimes rendered "Yelena", last name sometimes rendered "Muchina"; June 1, 1960December 22, 2006), born in Moscow, Russian SFSR, was a former Soviet gymnast who won the All-Around title at the 1978 World Championships at Strasbourg, France. I almost screamed with joy, she said. These events overshadow what were two other hallmarks of Mukhina's career. Comaneci famously earned the first-ever perfect 10 score for her performance on the uneven bars. I know many won't watch it mainly due to the length of it, but I HAD to just explain basically everything because the. First Name Elena. Most Popular #24272. As a person, he wasnt just trying to preserve his coaching career, but his social status in which his coaching career depended on. Mukhina took an interest in gymnastics and figure skating at an early age. I think I mentioned before that I wanted to be a gymnast growing up but didnt have the discipline because you know when youre ten years old your priority is having fun and pretty much nothing else. Mukhina defined that classic proverb because she was just that good. She was taken unconscious to a hospital. Just look at the cautionary tale of Soviet gymnast Elena Mukhina, . It is the type of foreshadowing moment that feels more appropriate for a fictional story. Required fields are marked *. When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be . . The weight was becoming intolerable, all the while Mukhina missing out on the carefree life of a regular teenage girl. RT / Liam Tyler, Mukhina threw herself into gymnastics. Her stupid coach should have listened to her. In an interview with Ogonyok magazine, Mukhina blamed the doctors at TsITO (Central Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics) who were serving the National Team for attempting to rush her back into training too soon, saying she begged them not to remove her cast and discharge her because \"they're dragging me from home to workouts\" and she knew she was not yet healed. Even though she won the all-around and floor exercises in 1978, with her daring bar routine, a revolutionary balance beam dismount, and a floor routine with a signature move, Mukhina was pressured by Kilmenko and other high-ranking Soviet coaches to add the mens element to her floor exercises. Who is India's National Security Advisor and why did Putin decide to meet him one on one? But the nightmare and the pain wasn't over. Before I go I want to leave you with some wise words from former Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver, Antonio Brown;Every day is a half day if you just f****** leave.Happy 2022 everyone! She won gold medals for the individual all-around, the balance beam, and uneven bars. As a memorial to one of the greatest Soviet-era gymnasts ever, the biggest sports newspaper in Russia, Sovietskij SPORT, dedicated the cover of their Christmas 2006 issue to her. What are your thoughts on Simone Biles withdrawing from the Olympics? She was instantly rendered a quadriplegic. And they dont take offense at fate.". Mukhina was taken in by her grandmother, Anna, with her father never to play a meaningful role in her life again. A girl who had just moments earlier been capable of the most graceful, powerfully seductive movements of the human body imaginable was essentially now immobile. After her world title success, Mukhina would say: I cried on the pedestal in France not out of joy, but because I understood: no one would let me go.. Elena Mukhina, Russia Gymnast. Later, she joined CSKA Moscow (Central Red Army) sports club. Now she will watch the games from her hospital bed, her future uncertain but her gymnastics career surely ended. At age 15, American. Her stupid coach should have listened to her. But for both of their sakes, it would have been better if they never met at all. ", Asked her hobbies at a press conference, Mukhina said, "I read books . . She also took some of the responsibility for not being more forceful about not wanting to perform the move and shared that her first thought when she was laying on the floor with a broken neck was, Thank God, I wont be going to the Olympics.. It culminated in achieving the top ranking in the sport and having one of the most dominant All-Around performances in WAG history. The Elena Mukhina tapes end with Mukhina being asked to react and her response is I dont know how to react. In this final exchange we see Mukhinas reserved/quiet nature. Group #2: Elena Mukhina, Elena Naimushina, and Svetlana Agapova. Kids need strong role models not this nonsense.. Aug 4, 2021 - A catastrophic injury cost Mukhina the use of her limbs. Information began to emerge slowly. Crucially, Mukhina possessed a remarkable persistence and a talent for carrying out Klimenkos instructions to the letter. Where I disagree with Soviet officials is their claim that it was all Klimenkos fault. All of that rested on the performance of a single individual, Elena Mukhina. On July 3, 1980, Mukhina was practicing the part of her routine containing the Thomas salto. RIA Novosti, Elena Mukhina pictured in 1977. Remember Kerri Strug? It had been a staple of Soviet womens gymnastics since the 1960s. At the age of five years Elena lost both of her parents. 01:46 Now playing - Source: WFSB 'Give me a break': Ex-CIA official on US response to Chinese balloon . These tactics have an even deeper meaning when two critical details are understood about the gymnast and coach who are engaging in conversation. On July 3, 1980, Elena attempted the salto just two weeks before the Olympics. Comaneci herself would tip Mukhina for Olympic glory. This year marks the 15th anniversary since Mukhinas death on December 22, 2006. Perhaps this is fate. Under different circumstances the Soviets might have been less likely to give such guarantees to as many as five gymnasts. She took home bronze for the floor exercise, and silver as part of the team all-around. The tiny, 20-year-old gymnast, whose erratic performances were blamed by coaches on her poetic and romantic nature, reportedly landed on her neck while practicing difficult acrobatic routines by herself. Daniel Hale blows the whistle on the US drone wars, Is Julianna Penas destruction of Amanda Nunes really the biggest upset in MMA history? After an unsuccessful fatal injury, the gymnast was forever confined to bed. Elena Mukhina, the sensitive Soviet gymnast who won the women's all-around world championship in 1978 and dreamed of regaining her lost form at the Moscow Olympics, crushed several vertebrae in. Remember, you don't have to agree with my opinions but I am still free to express them. All at the 1976 Olympics, where she also scored the perfect ten. As Mukhina would later recall, her hand shot up without hesitation. I realized that the commandments do not think badly, do not act badly, do not envy are not just words. Gymnastics is a cruel sport at times albeit a gorgeous one that your whole heart will love.I will start off by saying that I didn't even know which song to use because there are hardly ANY that honor her. Siempre me ha fascinado su historia: perdi a sus padres cuando era muy pequea y se fue a vivir con su abuela y, muy pronto, empez a dedicarle su vida a la gimnasia. It would ultimately result in her premature death at the age of 46. Mukhina took an interest in figure skating and gymnastics at a very early age. At 3:00 Mukhina and Klimenko have a conversation regarding personal goals. Mikhail Klimenko maintained a viable coaching career in the aftermath of Mukhinas injury. Added to this perfect storm of pressure was the complex element Klimenko had placed in her floor routine: the Thomas salto. Ella debe estar en el saln de la fama By her own admission, Mukhina called herself a coward and was determined to break that label. Only Nellie Kim and Stella Zakharova were able to medal. Elena Mukhina died on December 22, 2006 at the age of 46 from complications of quadriplegia. This is probably the LONGEST video I will ever make. But again and again it came to the hall. She was also inducted into the CSKA Hall of Fame. There's a string of high-level gymnasts who have been met with disfiguring, life-altering or life-threatening injuries after being pressured to perform in an element when they knew the risk was too high. Elena Mukhina. Mukhinas first serious steps were taken under the tutelage of Alexander Eglit. Internacional. Every single factor dictated that a gymnast needed time to rise that fast. After the incident, Mukhina told Ogoniok about how fans wrote to her asking when she would compete again. Log In. We know that gymnasts can suffer injuries if they take a fall during a routine or land funny during a flip. One of Europes top right-wing extremists: Who is the neo-Nazi behind this weeks Ukrainian attack in Russias Bryansk Region? However, until now, it has almost been unheard of for any high-level gymnast to withdraw from competition for health reasons. Your email address will not be published. She died at 46 in 2006 en.wikipedia.org 33K 1.3K 1.3K comments Klimenko knew to do this because his educational background was in psychology. Take another look at the video from the Amanar vault gone wrong.While flipping and spinning . Up until 1975, Mukhina flew under the radar and Soviet coaches largely ignored her and her abilities. Watch. She tied for the gold medal in the floor exercises and won silver in the balance beam and uneven bars. Adding to the perplexing chain of events making Mukhina was the most unlikely gymnast to have ever achieved breakout success. I began to feel these connections. Despite purported advice from Klimenko that she should only perform it into the foam pit, she was training on the platform. Psychology has positive values when deployed on children, especially in the realm of education. Soon after Mukhina's paralytic injury, Klimenko emigrated to Italy, where he lived with his children until his death from cancer on November 14, 2007, his 65th birthday. Post continues below. Now I finally have! "I was stupid. After Mukhinas paralysis and other close calls with Olympic-eligible female gymnasts, the Thomas salto was removed from the Code of Points as an allowed skill for women. She had gone, but her legacy was far from forgotten. A memorial service was held in her honor on December 27 . As a result, the gymnast broke her neck and, sadly, became. The initial response from Soviet sports officials was of hushed secrecy surrounding Mukhinas health, but it soon became evident she would never walk again, let alone grace gymnastics competition. For Mukhina, just making it to the elite level was a staggering athletic accomplishment in itself. Some said she would be lucky to live days, let alone weeks. When Olympians take a year off, they typically resume high level training with two years to spare until the next Olympics because thats how long it takes to relearn their old skills, perfect Olympic-level routines, condition their body, and acquire muscle memory. His younger brother, Viktor, had won Olympic gold in Munich in 1972, but Mukhina was to be the first female gymnast he would endeavor to forge into a world-beater. :D ..ProbablyCover done by Robbie: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbAQfmhT7LtjQ6janPaxvBgCredit: The information was taken from Wiki, multiple interviews/documentaries and a few sites.~~~FINALLY, AS USUAL ~~~ I do not own any of the audio or video nor do I claim to own it. 701 viewsOct 27, 2020 Required fields are marked *. The movement was later modified in the 1980s when it was performed towards the low bar; that is, the gymnast's flip takes place above the low bar. There will also be men's gymnastics videos in which we will showcase floor exercise, pommel horse, still rings, vault, parallel bars, and high bar montages! and her World Championship performance is captured in the ABC Sports video Gymnastic's Greatest Stars . Mukhina was training at the Minski Palace of Sport when the injury occurred, her coach was not present. Likewise, her full name is Ekaterina Alexandrovna Gordeeva. Would Elena Mukhina Have Made the Olympic Team if Not For Her Paralyzing Injury. She's the owner and head coach at Gemini Gymnastics, a gymnastics club in Oshawa, Ontario. Kerri delivered a perfect vault pass on the second try despite the injury and helped the team score the all-around gold medal at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. 261 viewsNov 13, 2020. When doctors removed her cast against her wishes and had her try walking on the leg, she said that she knew she was walking \"crookedly\" and that something was not right. There will be plenty of women's gymnastics videos including vault, uneven bars, balance beam and floor exercise compliations! It didnt seem like Mukhina was very cooperative with the film crew which is why they went with such unusual pans, cuts, and pivots. All while she is chided for her constant crying throughout the footage. I always try to add a hint of humor in each blog and promise to always unapologetically be myself. The duo fit each other like a hand entering a glove and had success that would have been impossible under any other circumstance. . Another questionable cut comes at 1:04 where Mukhina suddenly has a more positive demeanor, but Mukhinas arm placement is inconsistent suggesting filmmakers used different footage to fake her response to what Klimenko was saying. Gradually, though, Klimenko would become convinced that this was a gem who could be polished gently or otherwise into a champion. The other was twice her age who had professional training that could be used as a tool for manipulation. First Name Elena #5. , Elena Mukhina1960 61 - 2006 1222. You can find it on BFI player if you are interested. With lingering weakness in her leg and continuing exhaustion from the strenuous weight loss workouts, Mukhina had difficulty getting back up to speed on what was to be the new end move of her floor routine tumbling passes, the Thomas salto. Mukhina was permanently paralyzed, and died at only 46: Claims made in the post were reflected in a GymWikia entry about Mukhina's life, career, and death, indicating she died in 2006 of "apparent complications from quadriplegia." I like Ernest Hemingway most of all. She was raised by her grandmother, Anna Ivanovna. and her World Championship performance is captured in the ABC Sports video Gymnastics' Greatest Stars. One of the most talented athletes,which was brought up by the school of artistic gymnastics of the Soviet Union, was Mukhina Elena. (LogOut/ It was perfected by American gymnast Kurt Thomas, hence the name the Thomas salto. A great history and analysis a tragic result with a winning at all costs attitude, only disaster results always look at the US program under Karolyi.. the success masked the tragic and sinful culture there will always be the next champion but certain things can never be erased.. and should not be forgotten ! Mukhina spent 18 months to go from having never done high level routines to being capable of holding her own against your average Olympian. Some of those wishing to remember Mukhina will pay homage this week at her resting place on the 15th anniversary of her passing. Somewhat darkly, Mukhinas first thoughts as she lay stricken on the ground were said to be relief that she would finally be given some respite. In general it's just historical video of one of the greatest gymnasts to ever be born. He refused to listen to her. Vous lui rendez hommage. Moscow remained quiet today, devoid of the festive atmosphere that usually envelops the host city a week before the Olympics. In 2021, she was posthumously inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame. The epitome of daring, strength and . But do not break down and go on living in spite of everything, understanding all her tragedy . I realized that I needed to radically change my attitude to life, Mukhina said. Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe gestures. Ekaterina Gordeeva was born on 28 May 1971 and she is currently 51 years old. Fever. The TsITO doctors X-rayed the leg and discovered that the fracture had not healed properly and would not be able to sustain the pounding of gymnastics in its present condition. For Mukhina, a disturbing pattern had already emerged of an athlete being forced to push through injury in a clamor to the pinnacle of her sport. Mukhina was rushed into surgery again. Gymnasts With the Most 4th Place Finishes at the Olympics, Gymnasts With the Most 4th Place Finishes, After Her Injury a Soviet Coverup Hurt Elena Mukhina Even More, Shortly After Her Paralysis Elena Mukhina Wrote a Letter. Just admit you did badly, made mistakes, and will strive to do better next time. Worst of all, it showed their institution was flawed. Nevertheless, Kilmenko had desperately wanted Mukhina to make the Olympic team roster so he could become the Olympic champions trainer. Soon after Mukhinas paralytic injury, Kilmenko emigrated to Italy, where he lived with his children until he died from cancer on November 14, 2007. As a human being, he was trying to escape the shadow of his brother and establish a name of his own. These events overshadow what were two other hallmarks of Mukhinas career. At the 1978 Worlds in Strasbourg, she won the all-around gold medal, beating out Olympic champions Nadia Comaneci and Nellie Kim, and earning a total of 5 medals, including 3 gold in the Team, All-Around, and Floor Exercise. However, Mukhina had not fully healed from her leg injury while she worked on perfecting this stunt. 5.5M views 5 years ago This is probably the LONGEST video I will ever make. Other critics mocked Biles and compared her to Kerri Strug, who famously vaulted on an injured ankle for the United States at the 1996 Olympics, winning a gold medal. These are real clips of a real person who in the end, really did get hurt, and the damage couldnt be undone. Dos semanas antes de los Olmpicos en Rusia qued tetrapljica . I thought after my last very long article and all the information in it that I gave you guys to digest I would post something shorter this time. Mukhinas reactions are not always being shown. At 2:11 Klimenko outright dares Mukhina to leave him and train without a coach. Elena Mukhina Gymnastics Championships Sad Stories Olympics Montage Tribute Ripped Gymnastics Angel. Soviet team coach Yuri Titov deflected questions about whether or not Mukhina would be trying for a comeback in the 1984 Summer Olympics, even blaming her injury on attempting a skill that she was not able to do but thought she needed to make the team. Elena Mukhina. Instead a different gymnast is shown practicing on beam while Mukhina and Klimenko become narrations. The team would have won without her. The real world doesnt think like that.. Klimenko had delivered a broken gymnast to the Soviet team, and it was he who deserves the blame for breaking her. The exchange is roughly 3.5 minutes in length and is broken up into four clips throughout the half hour documentary. She matched that achievement at the European Championships in Copenhagen, where she also added a silver medal in the floor exercise. The tragedy of Mikhail Klimenko is that it was he who carried most of the blame. To see this all laid out and directly explained to Mukhina in a recorded conversation is a very significant piece footage to have.