In the event, the Games would be remembered for the iconic performance from Nadia Comaneci, the Romanian who picked up a haul of three golds including the all-around title and five medals in total. The Soviet Union downplayed the severity of Mukhinas injury, withheld information as tohow she obtained her injuries and even went as far as to discredit her for inflicting the injury on herself. These tactics have an even deeper meaning when two critical details are understood about the gymnast and coach who are engaging in conversation. The Elena Mukhina tapes are only 3.5 minutes in length, and in that short time we get a wide range of historic symbolism. Her stupid coach should have listened to her. They ended up getting more than they bargained for, and the price for that was paid by Elena Mukhina. The injury left Elena Mukhina paraplegic and promptly ended her career. A true champion! When she was five years old both her parents passed away and she would end up being raised by her grandmother, Anna Ivanovna. At 2:11 Klimenko outright dares Mukhina to leave him and train without a coach. Now her coach is gone too. 3.50. Because that will tear you apart.. It is the type of foreshadowing moment that feels more appropriate for a fictional story. Naci con talento. As an athlete, his Olympic dream was stolen from him and he was living that dream though his own pupil. She won three gold medals and two silver medals at the 1978 World . However, in Tuesday's Olympic women's gymnastics team final, thousands of people watched on as Biles lost her bearings in the middle of a vault, grimacing as she shakily landed on her feet. The fact is that gymnastics is an extremely dangerous sport, and one that involves a great risk of injury - even when a gymnast is in peak health. That there is a direct connection between them and how a person feels. They hadnt just tolerated Klimenkos practices, but had become so satisfied with his results that other high profile Soviet gymnasts had been encouraged to switch gyms and join his training group. The 1979 World Championships, to be held in Fort Worth, were looming but Mukhina broke her leg during an exhibition in England, ruling her out of the competition. The success of Nadia shellshocked the Soviet Union and orders came down from the top to find a gymnast who could break Nadias stranglehold on the sport. Elena Mukhina and Nelli Kim win the gold medal In The Strasbourg World Championship. In the quiet corner of a Moscow cemetery, a black slab of marble stands surrounded by the December snow. Beijing calls US worlds primary nuclear threat, Top US prosecutor makes surprise Ukraine visit. The following year Mukhina achieved the trademark win of her career by winning the All-Around title at the 1978 World Championships. These events overshadow what were two other hallmarks of Mukhina's career. After voicing her concern that she would break her neck attempting the move, the coach dismissed her. Perhaps the most significant part of the footage comes when Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci is invoked in the discussion. Elena Mukhina Is A Member Of . She was raised by her grandmother, Anna Ivanovna. The exchange is roughly 3.5 minutes in length and is broken up into four clips throughout the half hour documentary. Mukhina's 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. 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 ! "I saw how they carried me out of the hall. What a f moron. The weight was becoming intolerable, all the while Mukhina missing out on the carefree life of a regular teenage girl. 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. Soviet gymnastic Nellie Kin was her main rival and would later receive a perfect ten, on the vault. (LogOut/ Log in or sign up for Facebook to connect with friends, family and people you know. 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. One example comes at 1:40 where there is a cut between the comment made by Klimenko and Mukhinas response. Elena Mukhinas floor routine tumbling passes were considered revolutionary at the time because they included the never-before-seen combination salto (the Muchina). Mukhinas usage of the term has as much to do with this mindset coming naturally to her as it does with Klimenko instilling that mindset on her. People named Elena Mukhina. What a joke, he wrote. Mukhina is confined to a wheelchair that she knows she may never be without. 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. In the documentary, "Triumph of the Spirit . Her childhood was not a happy one. It culminated in achieving the top ranking in the sport and having one of the most dominant All-Around performances in WAG history. Just as gymnastics was becoming more demanding following the graceful elements of the likes of the legendary Larisa Latynina and Ludmilla Tourischeva, Klimenko saw the chance to bring in more powerful and increasingly complex elements from mens gymnastics and impose them on his new protegee. I dont exactly sympathize with Klimenko, but I do see him as a tragic villain. That realization precipitated a meeting on December 28, 1974, with the man who would alter the course of Mukhinas life thereafter: Mikhail Klimenko. RIP - YouTube 0:00 / 2:37 Gymnastics Angel. RIP AshleyakaFlipper 3.98K subscribers 114K views 11 years ago Montage of Elena Mukhina. . Before their partnership, both had witnessed unsuccessful careers, but found instant success as soon as they joined forces. Now his WAG coaching career was experiencing a rut as Mukhina entered a decline in 1979. . "I was stupid. As a rising star, everyone had their eyes on her for the coming Olympic games, something Mukhina said pressured her into pushing through her injury. The Thomas salto, the move that had proved so costly, would later be banned in womens and then mens gymnastics. La trgica historia de la gimnasta que venci a Comaneci. Klimenko had so much success invoking psychological tactics with Mukhina because Mukhina herself bought into this mindset. Every single factor dictated that a gymnast needed time to rise that fast. While it does feel as if there were misrepresentations being made, many of these exchanges do seem mostly genuine. The coaching relationship between Mukhina and Klimenko was marked by a power imbalance. I realized that the commandments do not think badly, do not act badly, do not envy are not just words. 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. 261 viewsNov 13, 2020. Mikhail Klimenkos treatment of Mukhina was atrocious, and there is so much to say on that topic that it deserves its own separate article. So, they decided to focus on a strategy to help suppress the fallout, one that would help them find a way toseparate themselves from the blame of Mukhina's crippling injuries. 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. She dies decades later at 45. She earned the money being a professional Gymnast. He sensed that his legacy as a trainer was bound up in Mukhina's fate. On July 3, 1980, two weeks before the Moscow Olympics, Elena was practicing the Thomas salto tumbling move when she under-rotated and crash-landed on her chin, snapping her spine and leaving her quadriplegic. The fans had been trained to believe in athletes heroism athletes with fractures return to the soccer field and those with concussions return to the ice rink, she said. The four words engraved just to the right of the image are stark: Great gymnast, world champion. 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. 701 viewsOct 27, 2020 At the time, Soviet officials were being pressured to build a team which was superior to that of the Romanians. Born In 1960. College gymnast dies after sustaining injury. Only Nellie Kim and Stella Zakharova were able to medal. But none of this is a work of fiction. Fever. Post continues below. The Soviet Union awarded her the Order of Lenin in response to her injury, and the IOC President awarded her the Silver Medal of the Olympic Order in 1983. That was the story of Elena Mukhina a star that had just begun to rise before her Olympic career was tragically cut short. After her accident, Mukhina became a recluse and rarely discussed it publicly. For Mikhail Klimenko, Elena Mukhina was his best shot at becoming an Olympic coach and in 1979 there didnt appear to be anyone else with similar potential in his training group. Whether lingering guilt and depression were contributing factors to his death is an answer we will never know. Yelena Mukhina Interview Ogonyok magazine Conducted by Oksana Polonskaya Translated by Beth Squires Behind me is an enormous gym bathed in white light, as in an operating room. She hails from Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union, and her zodiac sign is Gemini. Mukhina was born in Moscow on June 1, 1960. Life isn't always butterflies and rainbows, so, its time to explore the dark side of things. RIP Women's Gymnastics Good People Amazing People Female Gymnast Picture Video ELENA MUKHINA 1978 WORLD'S ALL-AROUND-ALL 4 ROUTINES! . She likes music, poetry and to sit and think. Cest un vritable travail de mmoire. Ella debe estar en el saln de la fama I am frequently asked as to whether Klimenko is to blame for Mukhinas injury. 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. Mukhina was a guest columnist for Moscow News in the late 1980s. Remember, you don't have to agree with my opinions but I am still free to express them. The move was named after US mens star Kurt Thomas and involved a 1.5 backflip-1.5 twist combination before a roll-out. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Later that year while training for the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, Elena Mukhina suffered a broken leg, which meant she had to miss the World Championships in Fort Worth, Texas, a competition in which the Soviet team had its first defeat at the hands of their archrivals from Romania. He died at the age of 46. "Formally Elena is not an Olympic Champion. 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. All while she is chided for her constant crying throughout the footage. Bna. 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. 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! Stick-thin, Mukhina was initially viewed as being behind her contemporaries at her new CSKA training home. Her response was, its not my fault that Nadia Comaneci was born in Romania. The other was when Elena Mukhina transitioned to working with Soviet mens coach Mike Kilmekno, who helped turn her into a show-stopping gymnast. All at the 1976 Olympics, where she also scored the perfect ten. 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. In one of her few interviews about the tragedy, she criticized the Soviet gymnastics program for deceiving the public about the severity of her injury, and for the systems insatiable appetite for gold medals and championships. En 1981, el Comit Olmpico Internacional le otorg la Orden Olmpica de Plata , la segunda mayor . I always try to add a hint of humor in each blog and promise to always unapologetically be myself. Her injury was a featured topic in an A&E documentary More Than a Game; and her World Championship performance is captured in the ABC Sports video Gymnastic's Greatest Stars. Under Klimenko, Mukhinas injury history had been so atrocious that her paralysis was the inevitable result of what happens when a gymnast is taught over and over again that reckless behavior is the only way forward. Mukhina took a keen interest in children and young gymnasts both before and after her injury. "She is too sensitive. I like Ernest Hemingway most of all. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Dos semanas antes de los Olmpicos en Rusia qued tetrapljica . Biles would pull out under the glare of the spotlight; Mukhina ultimately paid the price for not being able to do the same. When an athletic scout visited her school, she volunteered to try out for the gymnastics team. "She is too easily touched," a team coach said at the time. Read RT Privacy policy to find out more. The Unlikely Gymnast and the Unlikely Coach (Part II), The Unlikely Gymnast and the Unlikely Coach (Part I), USAG Is Only Pretending to Follow Child Protection Recommendations (Literally). Once again the Soviets were lambasting Mukhina by putting the burden back on her. Explore. Leave a LIKE if you enjoyed the Story of \"Elena Mukhina\" \u0026 SUBSCRIBE for more gymnastics videos! Elena Mukhina was born in Russia. The cast was removed from her leg even though Mukhina had concerns that she was not yet ready to resume training. Todava no entiendo por que no han hecho una pelcula de esta extraordinaria atleta. The epitome of daring, strength and . Beating Nadia is a central part to Mukhinas storyline and the events that lead to her tragic demise. 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. MS ALL DE SUS LMITES porque eso fue lo que Klimenco con Mukhina. Pinterest. Hi, slightly off topic but there is a film called Something different by Vera Chytilov that features Eva Boskov, a Czech gymnast of the 1950s and early 60s. Ekaterina Gordeeva was born on 28 May 1971 and she is currently 51 years old. The Thomas salto is now banned for both men and women. She was discovered by Bela Karolyi in 1973, was featured in an American television program in 1976, and had been sent to the Olympics as an observer in 1980, all before making her 1984 Olympic debut at the age of 16. What are your thoughts on Simone Biles withdrawing from the Olympics? By her own admission, Mukhina called herself a coward and was determined to break that label. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. They took an X-ray, and it turned out that the bones had separated. Crucially, Mukhina possessed a remarkable persistence and a talent for carrying out Klimenkos instructions to the letter. (LogOut/ These gymnasts were identified at a young age not just for their athletic attributes, but their mental attributes as well. But the nightmare and the pain wasn't over. "ELENA MUKHINA OLYMPIC CHAMPION" is the story of Elena Mukhina, Soviet gymnast, World Champion 1978, who had an injury just few days before the 1980 Moscow Olympics. Flanked by two small pots of flowers, its gleaming face bears the image of girl, a perfect picture of poise and concentration. Mostepanovas Romanian rival Ecaterina Szabo had a similar story. By Laura Perrins. She was popular for being a Gymnast. After an unsuccessful fatal injury, the gymnast was forever confined to bed. Mukhina was laid to rest in a Moscow cemetery. The move shocked the world. In a 2004 interview, Larisa Latynina claimed that Mukhinas coach, Mikhail Klimenko, was affected by her injury. If their top Olympic prospect was injured, they had other Olympic prospects to work on. Surveillance video sheds light on 'cartel . Under different circumstances the Soviets might have been less likely to give such guarantees to as many as five gymnasts. RT / Liam Tyler, Mukhina threw herself into gymnastics. Biles would later say she had suffered from the twisties, a form of gymnastics yips that leaves its sufferers feeling lost in the air. So, for an athlete to know when something is increasing that risk, is significant. 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. Sorry for rambling, next video should be happier!! 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. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. It would ultimately be Mukhinas downfall. The TsITO doctors X-rayed her leg and realized that the fracture had not healed properly. , Elena Mukhina1960 61 - 2006 1222. These events overshadow what were two other hallmarks of Mukhinas career. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators . Gymnasts . The day Mukhina was injured, Soviet national team coaches working with her had violated half a dozen safety guidelines. Because of the devastating injury, Elena Mukhina could not be added to the 1980 Soviet Union Olympic team roster. 5 19761976 . Elena Mukhina Alexey Cheremisin The present study is devoted to the simulation of thermal enhanced oil recovery (EOR) method with a focus on the initial distribution of various organic matter (OM . Not to envy others, but to learn to enjoy what is available to me. It had been a staple of Soviet womens gymnastics since the 1960s. A memorial service was held in her honor five days later, and she was buried at the Troekourov Cemetery on the southwestern outskirts of Moscow. And I realized that, compared to the ability to think, the inability to move is such nonsense. A memorial service was held in her honor on December 27th, and she was buried at the Trekourov Cemetery in Moscow, Russia. As Mukhina would later recall, her hand shot up without hesitation. Elena Mukhina was born on the 1st of June, 1960. The wonderful athlete, who pushed Nadia and popularized full-in on Floor and double back off beam, was paralysed in a training disaster before the 1980 Olympics. When she did speak, she was often philosophical about her fate. Some reports said doctors feared she was paralyzed, while others said she has use of her arms and legs and is able to speak. Just admit you did badly, made mistakes, and will strive to do better next time. They were selected for high-level sports because talent scouts noticed they reveled in pushing their body to the limits, strived for the highest goals imaginable, and wanted the thrill of performing the most dangerous acrobatic skills in the world. The Moscow Games have not even begun, but this must be one of their saddest stories. One further detail that is critical to understanding the Mukhina-Klimenko coaching relationship is that they had risen up the Soviet ranks together. Im sure you all have seen the gymnast suffer broken ankles, leg, and such live on television or in past footage. It is written as in her native Russian language. It would take two separate incidents to bring her to the forefront of the Soviet team. She was relegated to alternate status on the strong Soviet team for the Olympics, but still hoped to regain her place on the team and captivate the home fans. Such a sad story :(\r\rIn 1979, while training for the 1979 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, Mukhina suffered a broken leg, which kept her out of the World Championships in Fort Worth, Texas, a competition in which the Soviet team suffered its first defeat at the hands of their archrivals from Romania, with only Nellie Kim and Stella Zakharova able to medal in apparatus and All Around disciplines. Mukhina took up gymnastics late, at age 9, but won the Soviet junior championship within six years. NTV, Nadia Comaneci was queen at the 1976 Olympics. On July 3, 1980, Mukhina was practicing the part of her routine containing the Thomas salto. Bilozerchev is champion again, smelling the roses and dancing until dawn. Mukhina defined that classic proverb because she was just that good. First, she was discovered by an athletic scout in her school, and then she later joined the CSKA Moscow . The Code of Points was later modified to ban standing on the high bar during routines. This website uses cookies. 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. I didn't want to use a stupid song in the background, it HAD to be meaningful. Added to this perfect storm of pressure was the complex element Klimenko had placed in her floor routine: the Thomas salto. For those who dont know who Elena Mukhina is, she is the most heartbreaking story to have come out of the Soviet gymnastics program. At age 15, American. She made history when she unveiled her signature moves: a full-twisting layout Korbut Flip on the bars, a tucked double back salto dismount on the beam (a dismount thats still being used today); and a full-twisting double back somersault in her floor routine, a move that was dubbed the Muchina. Elena Vyacheslavovna Mukhina was born on June 1, 1960, in Moscow, Russia. Klimenko was deeply affected by the events and emigrated to Italy with his family, continuing his work as a gymnastics trainer. Back in 1975, she had suffered a spinal injury which required hospital treatment and rest. On July 3, 1980, two weeks before the Moscow Olympics, Mukhina was practicing the pass containing the Thomas salto when she under-rotated the salto, crash-landed on her chin, and her spine snapped. It is such a sad story so not recommended for the weak of hearts. 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. "Several times I saw my fall in a dream, Mukhina would later say. Her career was on the rise and she . This is one of the other important things to understand about Soviet athletics. Ex-Stratfor Chief George Friedman: Neither Russia nor Ukraine can win, war can only end via negotiation! document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Indianas Most Terrible Crime: The Case Of Sylvia Likens, Honor Killings: A Horrific Way To Restore A Familys Dignity. Up until 1975, Mukhina flew under the radar and Soviet coaches largely ignored her and her abilities. Mukhinas apotheosis arrived in 1978 with a breathtaking performance at the World Championships in Strasbourg, France. First Name Elena #5. Otherwise, you can go crazy. or. Mukhina, the embodiment of elegance and strength, sacrificed her life and health in attempt to win an Olympic medal for her country. Watch. By the time of the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, she was already making a name for herself but was not yet consistent enough to earn a place among the Soviet ranks. I was on the operating table right after lunch. As the current star of the Soviet program at the time, Mukhina received top billing and a majority of the camera time. "Physically, I feel good, I'm in shape," she told the US Today Show. It was all laid out for public viewing 40 years prior. For Mukhina, just making it to the elite level was a staggering athletic accomplishment in itself. He returned immediately when informed of the accident. You took care of yourself. Klimenko was trying to establish himself as one of their equals and I cite that as a factor as to why he pushed Mukhina beyond the limits. Whereas everyone was thinking that the next great breakout star was going to be a junior between the ages of 10-12, it ended up being a 17 year old Elena Mukhina. "This page is a tribute to the Wonderful Russian gymnast Yelena Mukhina (1960-2006), who was one of the greatest. One incident was the Romanian domination of the Soviet gymnastics machine at the 1976 Olympics. Work, work, work. She took home the gold, beating Olympic Champions Nadia Comaneci, and top-ranked Soviet gymnast Nellie Kim. Mukhina was taken in by her grandmother, Anna, with her father never to play a meaningful role in her life again. We know that gymnasts can suffer injuries if they take a fall during a routine or land funny during a flip. At 2:38 she appears to be especially distressed. 0 views, 55 likes, 11 loves, 12 comments, 120 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Elena Vyacheslavovna Mukhina - 1960-2006: Video of the documentary "More Than a Game", 1991, shows that the testimony. Klimenko knew to do this because his educational background was in psychology. We often dont consider that a gymnast can suffer paralysis if they land on their neck, head, or back funny. If not in time for 1980, then certainly those who were on a track for 1984. The other was twice her age who had professional training that could be used as a tool for manipulation. But that wasnt enough for her coach and in 1979, he wanted her to become of the few female gymnasts doing an element taken from mens gymnastics, the Thomas salto. JUSTICIA!!! After the injury, the Soviet Gymnastics Federation remained secretive about the events surrounding Mukhinas injury. She was interested in psychology and philosophy, and graduated from the Moscow Institute of Physical Education. Hace apenas unos das, el 22 de diciembre, falleci Yelena Mjina (tambin transcrito como Elena Mukhina), campeona del mundo en 1978. . . Afghan officials would not confirm reports that seven wrestlers had defected last week to Pakistan rather than come to Moscow. She returned to train for the Olympics while starting a strenuous workout program at CSKA Moscow to lose the weight she had put on while being laid up from surgery. For Mikhail Klimenko, Mukhina was too important to his career for her to fail. Klimenko had broken Mukhina mentally, and he had also broken her physically. Are mental health issues now the go-to excuse for any poor performance in elite sport? Aged 18, Mukhina was imperious as she won gold in the all-around, team and floor events, as well as picking up silver medals in the uneven bars and balance beam. Worst of all, it showed their institution was flawed. [] Change). Mikhail Klimenko deserves significant blame for Mukhinas injury, but there is one particular detail that is frequently overlooked. She lost her mother at an early age, in a tragedy apparently caused when her alcoholic father set fire to their apartment. 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. Miguel Saiz Garcia. Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below. Required fields are marked *. RIA Novosti, Mukhina's condition deteriorated and she struggled even to sit upright. RIA Novosti, Mukhina was taken under the tutelege of Klimenko. One of the most talented athletes,which was brought up by the school of artistic gymnastics of the Soviet Union, was Mukhina Elena.
