Olga Mostepanova
Encyclopedia
Olga Vasilyevna Mostepanova (born January 3, Moscow
, Russia
) is a retired prominent Soviet gymnast. Her birth year has been variously reported as 1968 or 1969, but Mostepanova herself has stated that she was actually born in 1970.
Over the next few years Mostepanova would become known as one of the promising up-and-coming gymnasts of the Soviet team.
Praised for her classic balletic style, difficulty and strong technique, she enjoyed success in various junior international events, including the 1980 Champions All meet and the 1982 Junior European Championships, where she won the balance beam title, placed second on the vault and third in the all-around. Mostepanova had a strong senior debut in 1983, winning two gold medals (team, balance beam) and two silvers (all-around, floor exercise) at the 1983 World Championships
.
Mostepanova was considered an excellent medal prospect for the 1984 Olympics
; however, due to the Eastern Bloc boycott, she did not compete in the Games. Instead, she led the Soviet team at the Friendship Games (also known as Olomouc, after the city in which the gymnastics competition was held; or the Alternate Games), the "alternative Olympics" for countries that had participated in the boycott.
Olomouc was an exceptional competition for Mostepanova. In the all-around, she became the only gymnast in history to earn 10.0 scores on all four events in a major international competition, finishing the session with a perfect mark of 40.0. She nearly achieved this feat in both the qualifying round and the team finals as well, earning 10.0s on three of her four events. In total, Mostepanova earned a total of twelve 10s in Olomouc and left with five of the six possible gold medals: team, all-around, vault, balance beam and floor exercise.
After the Friendship Games, Mostepanova continued to compete, sharing in the team gold medal at the 1985 World Championships
. She qualified for the all-around, but she and teammate Irina Baraksanova were pulled from the competition by the team coaches and replaced by Oksana Omelianchik
and Elena Shushunova. This would be her last major meet for the USSR.
Mostepanova is now married and the mother of five children. In a recent poll in Inside Gymnastics magazine, she was voted one of the "Top 10 All-Around Gymnasts of All Time."
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
) is a retired prominent Soviet gymnast. Her birth year has been variously reported as 1968 or 1969, but Mostepanova herself has stated that she was actually born in 1970.
Gymnastics career
A native of Moscow, Mostepanova began gymnastics at the age of 5 when her mother took her to the Dinamo club for a tryout. She remained at Dinamo, where she trained under coach Anna Anikina and later Vladimir Aksyonov. At the age of 10 she placed 7th all-around at the USSR Junior Championships and was named to the Soviet junior national team.Over the next few years Mostepanova would become known as one of the promising up-and-coming gymnasts of the Soviet team.
Praised for her classic balletic style, difficulty and strong technique, she enjoyed success in various junior international events, including the 1980 Champions All meet and the 1982 Junior European Championships, where she won the balance beam title, placed second on the vault and third in the all-around. Mostepanova had a strong senior debut in 1983, winning two gold medals (team, balance beam) and two silvers (all-around, floor exercise) at the 1983 World Championships
1983 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships
The 22nd Artistic Gymnastics World Championships were held in Budapest, the capital of Hungary, in 1983.-Medals:-All-around:- Floor exercise :-Pommel horse:-Rings:-Vault:-Parallel bars:-Horizontal bar:-Team final:-All-around:...
.
Mostepanova was considered an excellent medal prospect for the 1984 Olympics
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
; however, due to the Eastern Bloc boycott, she did not compete in the Games. Instead, she led the Soviet team at the Friendship Games (also known as Olomouc, after the city in which the gymnastics competition was held; or the Alternate Games), the "alternative Olympics" for countries that had participated in the boycott.
Olomouc was an exceptional competition for Mostepanova. In the all-around, she became the only gymnast in history to earn 10.0 scores on all four events in a major international competition, finishing the session with a perfect mark of 40.0. She nearly achieved this feat in both the qualifying round and the team finals as well, earning 10.0s on three of her four events. In total, Mostepanova earned a total of twelve 10s in Olomouc and left with five of the six possible gold medals: team, all-around, vault, balance beam and floor exercise.
After the Friendship Games, Mostepanova continued to compete, sharing in the team gold medal at the 1985 World Championships
1985 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships
The 23rd Artistic Gymnastics World Championships were held in Montreal, Canada, in 1985.-Medals:-All-around:- Floor exercise :-Pommel horse:-Rings:-Vault:-Parallel bars:-Horizontal bar:-Team final:-All-around:- Vault :...
. She qualified for the all-around, but she and teammate Irina Baraksanova were pulled from the competition by the team coaches and replaced by Oksana Omelianchik
Oksana Omelianchik
-Early life and career:Omelianchik was born on January 2, 1970 or December 31, 1969 in Ulan-Ude, USSR). She was originally a figure skater, and participated in her first skating meet at the age of 6. She began gymnastics on the recommendation of her skating choreographer, who believed she had...
and Elena Shushunova. This would be her last major meet for the USSR.
Mostepanova is now married and the mother of five children. In a recent poll in Inside Gymnastics magazine, she was voted one of the "Top 10 All-Around Gymnasts of All Time."
Achievements
| Year | Event | AA | Team | VT | UB | BB | FX |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | USSR Championships | 3rd | 3rd | 2nd | 3rd | 2nd | |
| USSR Cup | 3rd | 3rd | 2nd | ||||
| 1983 | World Championships 1983 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships The 22nd Artistic Gymnastics World Championships were held in Budapest, the capital of Hungary, in 1983.-Medals:-All-around:- Floor exercise :-Pommel horse:-Rings:-Vault:-Parallel bars:-Horizontal bar:-Team final:-All-around:... |
2nd | 1st | 1st | 2nd | ||
| USSR Championships | 2nd | ||||||
| USSR Cup | 2nd | 1st | 1st | ||||
| 1984 | Friendship Games Friendship Games The Friendship Games or Friendship-84 was an international multi-sport event held between 2 July and 16 September 1984 in the Soviet Union and eight other socialist states which boycotted the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.... |
1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | |
| USSR Championships | 2nd | 1st | 3rd | 1st | |||
| USSR Cup | 1st | ||||||
| 1985 | World Championships 1985 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships The 23rd Artistic Gymnastics World Championships were held in Montreal, Canada, in 1985.-Medals:-All-around:- Floor exercise :-Pommel horse:-Rings:-Vault:-Parallel bars:-Horizontal bar:-Team final:-All-around:- Vault :... |
1st |