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Elena Produnova

Yelena Produnova
Full name Yelena Sergeyevna Produnova
Alternative name(s) Elena
Country represented  Russia
Born (1980-02-15) February 15, 1980 (age 37)
Residence Rostov-on-Don, Russia
Discipline Women's artistic gymnastics
Level Senior International Elite
Former coach(es) Ruslan Lavrov
Eponymous skills Produnova (balance beam), Produnova (uneven bars), and Produnova (vault)
Retired 2000

Yelena Sergeyevna Produnova, also known as Elena, (Russian: Елена Серге́евна Продунова; born February 15, 1980) is a Russian former competitive gymnast. Her senior international career lasted from 1995 to 2000 and earned her multiple world and Olympic medals. She was known for her innovative and powerful skills on the vault and floor exercise. The most difficult vault in women's gymnastics is named after her.

Produnova was born on February 15, 1980. She lives in Rostov-on-Don, Rostov Oblast, Russia. She currently works as a gymnastics coach.

Produnova's first major senior competition was the 1995 World Championships in Sabae, Fukui, Japan where the Russians finished fourth. Inexperienced, she made little impact on the international scene. A heel injury hampered her chances of being chosen for the 1996 Summer Olympics, and she stayed at home.

At the 1997 World Championships in Lausanne, the tumbles in Produnova's floor routine drew gasps of admiration, but she kept taking large steps back to control her last tumbling pass. Still, Russia took team silver behind Romania, and Produnova claimed a pair of bronzes in the all-around and floor exercise.

In 1998, Produnova overcame an ankle injury. That year she also qualified 1st at the 1998 Russian Nationals and finished 5th in the all-around and 3rd on the vault. During the 1998 Cottbus event, Produnova finished 2nd on the vault, 1st on the balance beam, and 2nd on the floor. She was unable to compete at the European Championships because of her injury.

At the 1999 University Games, Produnova won vault and beam titles, and also finished 2nd in the AA and first in the team competition. It was here that she debuted her handspring double front vault, since known as a Produnova. It is the highest rated vault according to the Code of Points, and as of August 2016 only four other female gymnasts successfully performed this vault in competition – Yamilet Peña from Dominican Republic, Fadwa Mahmoud from Egypt, Oksana Chusovitina from Uzbekistan and Dipa Karmakar from India.


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