Though she is a two-time world champion, Elena Piskun never quite achieved superstardom.  However, gymnastics fans always respected Elena Piskun for her outspoken personality and daring acrobatics.  Elena was the first to combine a 2 ½ twist to punch front layout.

Elena was born in Bobruisk, Belarus on February 1, 1978.  She began gymnastics in 1984, coached by Valery Kolodinsky at the Spartak Club.  She won her first international title in 1991, winning the all-around and floor exercise at the Cottbus Cup.  Elena was too young to qualify for the 1992 Olympics, but by 1993 Elena was the leader of her Belarussian team. 

The 1993 World Championships in Birmingham, England garnered much attention for Elena.  Fans quickly noticed her risky moves on all four events.  She vaulted a double-twisting Yurchenko, threw a Def and Deltchev on bars, tumbled a flip-flop to tucked full on beam and some of the most difficult tumbling on floor exercise.  Not bad for an athlete whose gym was too small for a full floor exercise mat!  She finished 7th all-around, fourth on floor and won the vault title.

A departure from the typically reserved elite gymnast, Elena wasn’t afraid to say what was on her mind when newly crowned all-around champ Shannon Miller withdrew from the vault finals: “We knew Shannon was out [because] she doesn’t have a good second vault.  They just wanted to keep her name up in the winner’s category.”

Elena established herself as a reliable competitor, finishing no lower than 12th all-around between 1994 and 1996.  At the 1996 World Championships in Puerto Rico, she tied for gold on the uneven bars with Svetlana Khorkina.  It was a controversial finish, because Svetlana made an obvious mistake in her routine.  Elena was happy to have another world event title and did not dwell on the result.

At the 1996 Olympics, Elena was overshadowed by teammate Svetlana Boguinskaya, who had just come out of retirement.  Elena quietly led her team to sixth place and finished 12th all-around.  She competed through the 1997 World Championships but retired shortly after due to chronic leg injury.

Elena coached in her hometown after her retirement.  During the 1996 Olympics, she met Beverly and David Thomas, who invited her to return to their home at anytime.  In 1998, Elena moved to Rosewell, Georgia.  She began coaching at Northland Gymnastics in Alpharetta, where she continues to work today.  Her most notable student is University of North Carolina gymnast Courtney Bumpers.  Courtney credited Elena with some of her tumbling ability, particularly her double layout, punch front combination.  Perhaps through some of her protégés, Elena Piskun will get the stardom she deserves.

Bio by: Splitleap