Svetlana Khorkina

Svetlana Khorkina
— Gymnast —

Svetlana Khorkina in 2009
Personal information
Nickname(s) Sveta
Country represented  Russia
Born (1979-01-19) 19 January 1979
Belgorod, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Height 165 cm (5 ft 5 in)
Weight 47 kg (104 lb)
Discipline Women's artistic gymnastics
Level Senior International Elite
Years on national team 1994-2004
Head coach(es) Boris Vasilevich Pilkin
Assistant coach(es) Anna Pilina
Music See below
Retired 2004
Medal record
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
Olympic Games 2 4 1
World Championships 9 8 3
World Cup Final 0 1 0
European Championships 13 5 2
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
All-Around (OG/WC) 3 2 0
Uneven Bars (OG/WC) 7 1 0
Balance Beam (OG/WC) 0 1 0
Vault (OG/WC) 1 1 0
Floor Exercise (OG/WC) 0 2 2
Representing  Russia
Olympic Games
1996 Atlanta Uneven Bars
2000 Sydney Uneven Bars
1996 Atlanta Team
2000 Sydney Team
2000 Sydney Floor Exercise
2004 Athens All-Around
2004 Athens Team
World Championships
1995 Sabae Uneven Bars
1996 San Juan Uneven Bars
1997 Lausanne All-Around
1997 Lausanne Uneven Bars
1999 Tianjin Uneven Bars
2001 Ghent Vault
2001 Ghent All-Around
2001 Ghent Uneven Bars
2003 Anaheim All-Around
1994 Brisbane Vault
1994 Brisbane Uneven Bars
1995 Sabae All-Around
1997 Lausanne Team
1997 Lausanne Balance Beam
1997 Lausanne Floor Exercise
1999 Tianjin Team
2001 Ghent Team
1994 Dortmund Team
1999 Tianjin Floor Exercise
2001 Ghent Floor Exercise
World Cup Final
1998 Sabae Uneven Bars
European Championships
1994 Stockholm Uneven Bars
1996 Birmingham Uneven Bars
1998 St. Petersburg All-Around
1998 St. Petersburg Uneven Bars
1998 St. Petersburg Floor Exercise
2000 Paris Team
2000 Paris All-Around
2000 Paris Uneven Bars
2000 Paris Balance Beam
2002 Patras Team
2002 Patras All-Around
2002 Patras Uneven Bars
2004 Amsterdam Uneven Bars
1994 Stockholm Team
1994 Stockholm All-Around
1996 Birmingham Team
1998 St. Petersburg Team
2002 Patras Balance Beam
2004 Amsterdam Team
2004 Amsterdam Balance Beam

Svetlana Vasilyevna Khorkina (Russian: Светлана Васильевна Хоркина; born 19 January 1979) is a retired Russian artistic gymnast. She competed at the 1996 Summer Olympics, the 2000 Summer Olympics, and the 2004 Summer Olympics. During her career, Khorkina won seven Olympic medals and twenty World Championship medals. She was the first gymnast to win three all-around titles at the World Championships and the first female gymnast ever to do so, before Simone Biles in 2015. She is one of the most successful female gymnasts of all time.[1]

Senior career

1994-1996

In April 1994, Khorkina competed at the World Championships in Brisbane, Australia. She placed ninth in the all around with a score of 38.805. In event finals, she placed second on vault scoring 9.800, second on uneven bars scoring 9.875, and eighth on floor scoring 8.487.[2] In November 1994, Khorkina competed at a separate World Team Championships in Dortmund, Germany. She contributed an all-around score of 39.450 toward the Russian team's third-place finish.[3]

In October 1995, Khorkina competed at the World Championships in Sabae, Japan. In the all around final, she placed second with a score of 39.130. In event finals, she placed fifth on vault scoring 9.618 and first on uneven bars scoring 9.900.[4] In April 1996, Khorkina competed at the World Championships in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She placed fifth on vault scoring 9.637 and first on uneven bars scoring 9.787.[5] In May 1996, Khorkina competed at the European Championships in Birmingham, United Kingdom. She helped Russia win the silver medal in the team final and individually she placed sixth in the all around final with a score of 38.549. In event finals, she placed fourth on vault scoring 9.725 and first on uneven bars scoring 9.825.[6]

Atlanta Olympics (1996)

In July 1996, Khorkina competed at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, United States. In the team final, she contributed a combined compulsory and optional score of 77.648 toward the Russian team's second-place finish.[7] In the all-around final, she fell on the uneven bars in the final rotation and finished fifteenth in the standings with a total score of 38.455. Three days later, Khorkina redeemed herself by winning the gold medal in the uneven bars final with a score of 9.850.[8]

1997-2000

In September 1997, Khorkina competed at the World Championships in Lausanne, Switzerland. She helped Russia placed second in the team final and individually she won the all around final with a score of 38.636. In event finals, she placed eighth on vault scoring 4.537, first on uneven bars scoring 9.875, second on balance beam scoring 9.787, and second on floor scoring 9.800.[9] In November 1997, Khorkina caused a scandal by posing for the Russian edition of Playboy. She said, “'I changed people's attitudes. It's very good to be sexy. My career made it clear that tall girls can do incredible things. I opened the way. Now I'm famous all over the world.”[10] In May 1998, Khorkina competed at the European Championships in St. Petersburg, Russia. She helped the Russian team finish second and individually she won the all around final with a score of 38.624. In event finals, she placed first on uneven bars scoring 9.900 and first on floor scoring 9.787.[11]

In October 1999, Khorkina competed at the World Championships in Tianjin, China. She helped Russia placed second in the team final and individually she placed twelfth in the all around final with a score of 37.611. In event finals, she placed first on uneven bars scoring 9.837 and third on floor scoring 9.787.[12] In May 2000, Khorkina competed at the European Championships in Paris, France. She helped the Russian team win the gold medal and individually she won the all around final with a score of 38.749. In event finals, she placed first on uneven bars scoring 9.837 and first on balance beam scoring 9.837.[13]

Sydney Olympics (2000)

In September, Khorkina competed at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia. In qualifications, the Russian team placed first[14] and individually Khorkina placed first in the all around with a score of 39.005. She also qualified to the vault, uneven bars, and floor event finals.[15] In the team final, Khorkina contributed an all-around score of 38.261 toward the Russian team's second-place finish.

In the all around final, Khorkina placed tenth with a score of 37.929.[16] During the final the vault was set five centimeters too low causing many gymnasts to fall including Khorkina. After her bad crash on vault, Khorkina was mentally shaken and fell off the uneven bars. Half way through the competition the error was corrected and the gymnasts who had already vaulted were allowed to vault again but Khorkina refused knowing that it would not put her in medal contention.[17]

In event finals, Khorkina gave up her spot in the vault final to teammate, Elena Zamolodchikova, who ended up winning the gold medal. Khorkina said, "I thought she could win the gold. I'm glad I could give her that opportunity." She then won the uneven bars final with a score of 9.862. Commenting on the all-around final, Khorkina said, "If I didn't get over the disappointment, I wouldn't be Khorkina. I wouldn't be standing here with the gold medal. It still hurts a lot. It was cruel to all the participants, to vault on a nonstandard height. It's quite possible to get killed. The five centimeters could decide the future of a sports person. But I was fortunate to have many people to help me get through it. Tomorrow, I will dance for Russia. I will leave what happened on the vault far behind me, like the North Pole." She then won the silver medal in the floor final with a score of 9.812.[18]

Khorkina received the Order of Honour from Russian President Vladimir Putin on 8 June 2001.

2001-2004

In October 2001, Khorkina competed at the World Championships in Ghent, Belgium. She helped the Russian team win the silver medal and individually she won the all around final with a score of 37.617. In event finals, she placed first on vault scoring 9.412, first on uneven bars scoring 9.437, and third on floor scoring 9.375.[19] In April 2002, Khorkina competed at the European Championships in Patras, Greece. She helped Russia win the first place in the team competition and individually she won the all around competition with a score of 37.592. In event finals, she placed first on uneven bars scoring 9.550, second on balance beam scoring 9.262, and fifth on floor scoring 9.075.[20] In November 2002, Khorkina competed at the World Championships in Debrecen, Hungary. She placed seventh on uneven bars scoring 7.387 and fourth on balance beam scoring 9.462.[21]

In March 2003, Khorkina competed at the World Cup event in Thessaloniki, Greece. She placed first on uneven bars scoring 9.425.[22] In August 2003, Khorkina competed at the World Championships in Anaheim, United States. She won the all around final for with a score of 38.124[23] This was the first time a gymnast had won three World all around titles. In November 2003, Khorkina competed at the World Cup event in Stuttgart, Germany. She placed third on vault scoring 9.268, third on uneven bars scoring 9.425, third on balance beam scoring 9.225, and second on floor scoring 9.187.[24] At the end of April 2004, Khorkina competed at the European Championships in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. She helped the Russian team place third and individually she placed fourth in the all around final with a score of 36.848. In event finals, she placed first on uneven bars scoring 9.662, third on balance beam scoring 9.325, and seventh on floor scoring 9.112.[25]

Athens Olympics (2004)

In August, Khorkina competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. In the team final, she contributed an all around score of 38.062 toward the Russian team's third-place finish. In the all around final, she won the silver medal with a score of 38.211 and placed eighth in the uneven bars final with a score of 8.925.[26]

Eponymous skills

Khorkina has eight eponymous skills.

Apparatus Name Description Difficulty Notes
Vault Khorkina I Yurchenko 1/2 on - 1/2 twist to back pike 5.2
Vault Khorkina II Yurchenko 1/2 on - 1 1/2 twisting front tuck 5.9
Uneven Bars Khorkina I Back uprise and straddle flight over high bar with 1/2 turn to hang D Also called a Markelov
Uneven Bars Khorkina II Inner front support on low bar, blear hip circle through handstand with 1/2 turn in flight to hang on high bar E Also colloquially called a "Shaposh Half"
Uneven Bars Chow/Khorkina Stalder backwarrds with 1 1/2 turn E Also named after Amy Chow
Balance Beam Khorkina I Gainer back handspring with a full twist before hand support D
Balance Beam Khorkina II Gainder 2 1/2 twisting back layout dismount D
Floor Exercise Khorkina Jump with 1 1/2 twist on horizontal plane to land in front support B

Personal life

The sport complex of the Belgorod State University, named in honour of Khorkina, in Belgorod, her native city

Svetlana Khorkina was born on 19 January 1979, the daughter of Vasiliy and Lyubov. She has a younger sister, Yulia, who was also a gymnast. Khorkina said, "As a child, I was very picky with my food. My mother hoped, that if she puts me into gymnastics, I would start eating breakfast without frowning, after having spent a lot of energy in the gym. This is how, by simple nutritional reasons, I started my gymnastics career at the age of four."[27]

At 5’5”, most people thought that Khorkina was too tall to be an artistic gymnast. However her coach, Boris Pilkin, saw her potential and created alternative training methods and skills to accommodate her taller body. Khorkina has more skills named after her in the Code of Points than any other gymnast.[28]

Khorkina was known for her dramatic and opinionated personality, often being called a diva.[29][30] She said, “I wouldn't have been called a diva or a queen if I wasn't creative. My costume and make-up were always important to me. When people come to see gymnastics they want a performance, not just a sport. I have a talent. I have accomplished so much in sport it will take dozens of years before anyone else achieves as much.”[10]

After retiring from gymnastics, in December 2005 Khorkina was named vice-president of the Russian Artistic Gymnastics Federation. In 2008, she was a commentator for the Beijing Olympics’ gymnastics competition for the Russian TV station NTV+ and released her autobiography entitled, “Somersaults in High Heels” published by Olma-Press.[1][31] She is also an ambassador for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.[1][32] Khorkina has been a member of the political party of United Russia since 2003. She was elected as a deputy for the Russian State Duma in 2007 and served until 2011.[1][32]

On 21 July 2005, Khorkina gave birth to a son, Svyatoslav Khorkin at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, United States but refused to name the father of the child. In April 2011, Khorkina married Oleg Kochnev. He is a former general in Russia’s Federal Security Service and is twenty-three years her senior.

Competitive history

Year Event Team AA VT UB BB FX
1994European Championships 2nd 2nd 5th 1st 5th 8th
Goodwill Games 1st 3rd 1st 5th
World Championships 3rd 9th 2nd 2nd 8th
1995World Championships 4th 2nd 5th 1st
1996European Championships 2nd 6th 4th 1st
World Championships 5th 1st
Olympic Games 2nd 15th 1st
1997World Championships 2nd 1st 8th 1st 2nd 2nd
1998European Championships 2nd 1st 1st 1st
Goodwill Games * 7th 1st 7th
World Cup Final 5th 2nd 4th 4th
1999World Championships 2nd 11th 1st 3rd
2000European Championships 1st 1st 1st 1st
Olympic Games 2nd 10th WD 1st 2nd
2001Goodwill Games 2nd 4th 1st 2nd
World Championships 2nd 1st 1st 1st 3rd
2002European Championships 1st 1st 1st 2nd 5th
World Championships 7th 4th
2003World Championships 6th 1st
2004European Championships 3rd 4th 1st 3rd 7th
Olympic Games 3rd 2nd 8th 
*1998 Goodwill Games mixed pairs silver medal with Alexei Nemov.
Year Competition description Location Apparatus Rank-Final Score-Final Rank-Qualifying Score-Qualifying
1994 European Championships Stockholm Team 2 115.422
All-Around 2 39.224
Vault 5 9.749
Uneven Bars 1 9.887
Balance Beam 5 9.775
Floor Exercise 8 9.350
World Championships Dortmund Team 3 194.546 4 385.515
Brisbane All-Around 9 38.805
Vault 2 9.800 5 9.693
Uneven Bars 2 9.875 3 9.812
Floor Exercise 8 8.487 9 9.587
1995 World Championships Sabae Team 4 384.689
All-Around 2 39.130 10 77.224
Vault 5 9.618 7 19.312
Uneven Bars 1 9.900 1 19.637
Balance Beam 15 19.100
Floor Exercise 31 19.175
1996 European Championships Birmingham Team 2 115.659
All-Around 6 38.549 7 38.437
Vault 4 9.725 3 9.825
Uneven Bars 1 9.825 1 9.812
Balance Beam 22 9.175
Floor Exercise 11 9.625
World Championships San Juan Vault 5 9.637
Vault (Semi−Final) 4 9.662
Vault (Qualification) 2 9.668
Uneven Bars 1 9.787
Uneven Bars (Semi−Final) 1 9.825
Uneven Bars (Qualification) 1 9.825
Olympic Games Atlanta Team 2 388.404
All-Around 15 38.455 9 77.648
Vault 16 19.350
Uneven Bars 1 9.850 2 19.662
Balance Beam 6 19.312
Floor Exercise 23 19.324
1997 World Championships Lausanne Team 2 153.197 1 153.401
All-Around 1 38.636
Vault 8 4.537 2 9.762
Uneven Bars 1 9.875 2 9.650
Balance Beam 2 9.787 1 9.775
Floor Exercise 2 9.800 9 9.637
1998 European Championships Saint Petersburg Team 2 112.720
All-Around 1 38.624 3 38.074
Vault WD 4 9.562
Uneven Bars 1 9.900 1 9.862
Balance Beam 20 9.075
Floor Exercise 1 9.787 7 9.575
World Cup Final Sabae Vault 5 9.343
Uneven Bars 2 9.825
Balance Beam 4 9.512
Floor Exercise 4 9.162
1999 World Championships Tianjin Team 2 153.209 2 153.576
All-Around 11 37.611 3 38.699
Vault 7 9.587
Uneven Bars 1 9.837 1 9.837
Balance Beam 22 9.475
Floor Exercise 3 9.787 2 9.800
2000 European Championships Paris Team 1 115.760
All-Around 1 38.749 2 38.818
Vault 7 9.468
Uneven Bars 1 9.837 1 9.850
Balance Beam 1 9.837 2 9.775
Floor Exercise 6 9.725
Olympic Games Sydney Team 2 154.403 1 154.874
All-Around 10 37.929 1 39.005
Vault WD 3 9.731
Uneven Bars 1 9.862 1 9.850
Balance Beam 12 9.662
Floor Exercise 2 9.812 2 9.762
2001 World Championships Ghent Team 2 109.023 4 144.134
All-Around 1 37.617 1 37.224
Vault 1 9.412 1 9.562
Uneven Bars 1 9.437 1 9.662
Balance Beam 34 8.600
Floor Exercise 3 9.375 2 9.400
2002 European Championships Patras Team 1 111.833
All-Around 1 37.592 1 37.524
Vault 8 9.262
Uneven Bars 1 9.550 1 9.787
Balance Beam 2 9.262 3 9.150
Floor Exercise 5 9.075 2 9.325
World Championships Debrecen Uneven Bars 7 7.387
Uneven Bars (Semi−Final) 1 9.762
Uneven Bars (Qualification) 1 9.737
Balance Beam 4 9.125
Balance Beam (Semi−Final) 3 9.462
Balance Beam (Qualification) 15 8.625
2003 World Championships Anaheim Team 6 108.985 5 145.572
All-Around 1 38.124 3 37.249
Vault 6 9.331
Uneven Bars 12 9.450
Balance Beam 14 9.262
Floor Exercise 11 9.312
2004 European Championships Amsterdam Team 3 110.423
All-Around 4 36.848 1 37.686
Uneven Bars 1 9.662 1 9.687
Balance Beam 3 9.325 5 9.262
Floor Exercise 7 9.112 8 9.200
Olympic Games Athens Team 3 113.235 4 149.420
All-Around 2 38.211 5 37.836
Vault 20 9.106
Uneven Bars 8 8.925 1 9.750
Balance Beam 27 9.137
Floor Exercise 15 9.437

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Svetlana Khorkina. sports-reference.com
  2. ↑ 1994 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships. Gymnasticsresults.com. Retrieved on 26 October 2013.
  3. ↑ 1994 Teams World Artistic Gymnastics Championships. Gymnasticsresults.com (20 December 2005). Retrieved on 26 October 2013.
  4. ↑ 1 – 10 October 1995 – 31st World Artistic Gymnastics Championships. Fig.lx2.sportcentric.com (10 October 1995). Retrieved on 26 October 2013.
  5. ↑ 1996 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships, Women's Finals. Gymnasticsresults.com (1 February 2004). Retrieved on 26 October 2013.
  6. ↑ 1996 European Championships Artistic Gymnastics Women. Gymnasticsresults.com. Retrieved on 26 October 2013.
  7. ↑ Games of the 26th Olympiad Atlanta Women's Artistic Gymnastics. Gymnasticsresults.com. Retrieved on 26 October 2013.
  8. ↑ Games of the 26th Olympiad Atlanta Women's Artistic Gymnastics. Gymnasticsresults.com. Retrieved on 26 October 2013.
  9. ↑ 1997 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships – Women's Finals. Gymnasticsresults.com. Retrieved on 26 October 2013.
  10. 1 2 Anna Kessel (3 June 2012). "Meet the New Russian Divas". Observer.guardian.co.uk.
  11. ↑ 1998 European Championships Artistic Gymnastics Women. Gymnasticsresults.com. Retrieved on 26 October 2013.
  12. ↑ 1999 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships Women's Finals. Gymnasticsresults.com (6 December 2003). Retrieved on 26 October 2013.
  13. ↑ 2000 European Women's Artistic Gymnastics Championships. Gymnasticsresults.com (20 February 2004). Retrieved on 26 October 2013.
  14. ↑ Games of the XXVII Olympiad Sydney 2000 Men's Artistic Gymnastics. Gymnasticsresults.com (17 September 2000). Retrieved on 26 October 2013.
  15. ↑ Games of the XXVII Olympiad Sydney 2000 Men's Artistic Gymnastics. Gymnasticsresults.com. Retrieved on 26 October 2013.
  16. ↑ Games of the XXVII Olympiad Sydney 2000 Men's Artistic Gymnastics. Gymnasticsresults.com. Retrieved on 26 October 2013.
  17. ↑ Roberts, Selena (22 September 2000). "SYDNEY 2000: GYMNASTICS; Romania Sweeps as Controversy Swirls". New York Times. Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  18. ↑ Roberts, Selena (25 September 2000). "SYDNEY 2000: GYMNASTICS; A Champion Answers Disaster With Triumph". New York Times. Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  19. ↑ "2001 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships Results" (PDF). Ghent, Belgium: Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique. 5 November 2001. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
  20. ↑ "24th European Women's Artistic Gymnastics Championships Results" (PDF). Patras, Greece: European Union of Gymnastics. 21 April 2002. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
  21. ↑ "2002 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships Results" (PDF). Debrecen, Hungary: Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique. 24 November 2002. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
  22. ↑ 28 – 30 March 2003 – 2nd International ART Tournament "Noynoy Family". Fig.lx2.sportcentric.com (30 March 2003). Retrieved on 26 October 2013.
  23. ↑ 16 – 24 August 2003 – 37th World Artistic Gymnastics Championships. Fig.lx2.sportcentric.com (24 August 2003). Retrieved on 26 October 2013.
  24. ↑ 28 – 30 November 2003 – 21st DTB Pokal. Fig.lx2.sportcentric.com (30 November 2003). Retrieved on 26 October 2013.
  25. ↑ "25th Women's European Championships Artistic Gymnastics Results" (PDF). Amsterdam, The Netherlands: European Union of Gymnastics. 2 May 2004. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
  26. ↑ "2004 Summer Olympics Artistic Gymnastics Results". Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
  27. ↑ KHORKINA Svetlana Russia. Fig.lx2.sportcentric.com. 5 September 2011.
  28. ↑ International Gymnast Magazine Online – Russian Coach Boris Pilkin Dies at Age 82. Internationalgymnast.com (21 October 2010). Retrieved on 26 October 2013.
  29. ↑ "Khorkina Makes Grand Exit". MSNBC. 20 August 2004. Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  30. ↑ Fisman, Ray. "Svetlana the Great". Slate.com. Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  31. ↑ "Svetlana Khorkina: "Yulia Bordovskikh introduced me to my admirer" //". Kp.ru. Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  32. 1 2 "Svetlana Khorkina". Sochi2014.com. Retrieved 4 July 2012.

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