Elena (or Yelena) Mikhaylovna "Lena" Piskun (Belarusian: Алена Піскун; Russian: Елена Михайловна "Лена" Пискун [pʲɪˈskun]; born 2 February 1978)[1] is a Belarusian former artistic gymnast who won two World Championship gold medals in the 1990s and competed at the 1996 Summer Olympics.

Elena Piskun
Full nameYelena Mikhaylovna Piskun
Nickname(s)Lena
Country represented Belarus
Born (1978-02-02) 2 February 1978 (age 46)
Minsk, Byelorussian SSR, Soviet Union
HometownBobruisk, Belarus
Height5 ft 0 in (1.52 m)
DisciplineWomen's artistic gymnastics
LevelSenior international elite
Head coach(es)Valery Kolodinsky
Medal record
Representing  Belarus
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1993 Birmingham Vault
Gold medal – first place 1996 San Juan Uneven Bars
European Championships
Silver medal – second place 1994 Stockholm Vault
Bronze medal – third place 1996 Birmingham Balance Beam
European Team Championships
Gold medal – first place 1997 Paris Team

Personal life

edit

Piskun was born in Minsk, Belarus, in 1978.[1] Her father worked in a tire factory, and her mother was a bookkeeper. She has a younger brother, Viktor.[2] She is 5 feet 0 inches (1.52 m) tall.[1] She currently lives in the United States.

Career

edit

Piskun started gymnastics at the age of six and was coached by Valery Kolodinsky during her career. The gym in her hometown of Bobruisk was small, so she traveled to Minsk to train before major competitions.[2]

At the 1993 World Championships in Birmingham, England, Piskun won the gold medal on vault.[3] In April 1994, she competed at the Individual World Championships in Brisbane, Australia, and finished fifth on vault with a score of 9.725 and fifth on floor exercise with a score of 9.675. At the World Championship Team Finals in Dortmund, Germany, in November, Piskun helped the Belarus team to a sixth-place finish.[4] At the 1995 World Championships in Sabae, Japan, she was 10th in the all-around with a score of 38.53.[5]

Piskun finished third on balance beam and eighth on floor exercise at the 1996 European Championships.[2] In April, she competed at the World Championships in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and won a gold medal on uneven bars with a score of 9.787.[6] At that year's Olympic Games in Atlanta, Piskun helped Belarus finish sixth in the team competition, and she was also 12th in the individual all-around with a score of 38.649.[1] At the 1997 World Championships in Lausanne, Switzerland, she finished 30th in the all-around with a score of 35.474.[7]

Piskun owns and coaches at Infinity Gymnastics in Alpharetta, Georgia.

Competition History

edit
Year Event TF AA VT UB BB FX
1991 Cottbus International    
1992 Chunichi Cup 5  
Tokyo Cup 6 4
Medico Cup 5
CIS Cup 15
1993 American Cup  
International Mixed Pairs  
Hungarian International 4
European Cup 14
French International 4    
USA-BLR-UKR Meet 6
Soapberry World Challenge  
Swiss Cup  
Gander Memorial  
World Championships  
Chunichi Cup  
1994 DTB Cup   4
American Cup  
Birmingham Classic 6
World Championships 10 5 5
European Championships 5 12   5 4 5
USA-BLR-CHN Tri-Meet    
Goodwill Games 8  
International Mixed Pairs  
Swiss Cup     7
Team World Championships 6
1995 Cottbus Cup 7 8 4  
DTB Cup 6    
European Cup   4 4   8
Hapoel Games  
Ostrava International 6
Varna Golden Sands International  
Gander Memorial  
World Championships 8 10
Pre-Olympics      
1996 Cottbus International 6   5
DTB Cup 5      
Gander Memorial  
Swiss Cup 4     4
World Championships  
European Championships 4 11 6   8
Australia Cup  
Catania Cup    
French International 5 4
Grand Prix of Rome  
ITA-BLR-ROM-RUS Meet 4
Olympic Games 6 12
1997 Cottbus International  
BLR-CHN-SUI Tri Meet   11
European Gymnastics Masters  
World Championships 30

[8][9]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c d "Lena Piskun". sports-reference.com. Retrieved May 27, 2013.
  2. ^ a b c Gutman, Dan (1998). Gymnastics. Penguin.
  3. ^ "Men's and Women's World Championships Results" Archived 2014-03-20 at the Wayback Machine. usagym.org. Retrieved May 27, 2013.
  4. ^ "1994 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships". usagym.org. Retrieved May 27, 2013.
  5. ^ "31st World Championships ‐ Artistic Gymnastics". usagym.org. Retrieved May 27, 2013.
  6. ^ "1996 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships". usagym.org. Retrieved May 27, 2013.
  7. ^ "33rd World Championships Artistic Gymnastics". usagym.org. Retrieved May 27, 2013.
  8. ^ https://themedalcount.com/elena-piskun/
  9. ^ https://www.gymn-forum.net/bios/women/piskun.html