It must be remembered that this documentary was being filmed in 1978 when the Soviet Union had extreme censorship standards in place. With lingering weakness in her leg and continuing exhaustion from the strenuous weight loss workouts, Mukhina had difficulty getting back up to speed on what was to be the new end move of her floor routine tumbling passes, the Thomas salto. After her accident, Mukhina became a recluse and rarely discussed it publicly. Your email address will not be published. They were being pressured to make sure the Moscow Olympics featured the strongest lineup of Soviet gymnasts to ever be assembled. As usual, Im not saying karma but. Mukhina went as far as to say she felt sorry for Klimenko and classified him as a victim of the system.. The clips themselves are harrowing as they show a mostly downtrodden Mukhina and provide insights about the coaching environment she was subjected to. One of Europes top right-wing extremists: Who is the neo-Nazi behind this weeks Ukrainian attack in Russias Bryansk Region? This is probably the LONGEST video I will ever make. As for the gold medal? Now she will watch the games from her hospital bed, her future uncertain but her gymnastics career surely ended. 261 viewsNov 13, 2020. Elena Mukhina, the sensitive Soviet gymnast who won the women's all-around world championship in 1978 and dreamed of regaining her lost form at the Moscow Olympics, crushed several vertebrae in her neck in a training accident and is hospitalized in Minsk following surgery, Soviet officials reported today. Video: El ejercicio que quiso imitar Elena Mukhina y la dej tetrapljica 0 seconds of 12 secondsVolume 0% 00:25 00:12 ltimos Videos 13/09/2020 12:05 Clarn.com Deportes Actualizado al. She was able to mix her innovative moves with the classic Soviet-style of gymnastics, inspired by ballet movements and expressive lines. All rights reserved. The cast was removed from her leg even though Mukhina had concerns that she was not yet ready to resume training. But my coach once told me, 'Until you break, no one will let you go.'". As the top Soviet gymnast following the 1976 Olympics, this burden weighed the heavier on Mukhina than any other gymnast. It would ultimately result in her premature death at the age of 46. She was instantly rendered a quadriplegic. The Thomas salto is now banned for both men and women. One person who wasn't impressed by the headlines was controversial TV personality Piers Morgan, who called Biles' decision to withdraw a joke". Despite purported advice from Klimenko that she should only perform it into the foam pit, she was training on the platform. I dont exactly sympathize with Klimenko, but I do see him as a tragic villain. She has been placed in a neck cast and will be immobilized for several weeks. Her career came to an end when two weeks before the 1980 Olympics were to start, Mukhina broke her neck in a training accident that left her paralyzed from the neck down. She matched that achievement at the European Championships in Copenhagen, where she also added a silver medal in the floor exercise. Director of the Soviet womens gymnastics, Larisa Latynina, was blamed for the embarrassing defeat. I began to feel these connections. The initial response from Soviet sports officials was of hushed secrecy surrounding Mukhinas health, but it soon became evident she would never walk again, let alone grace gymnastics competition. The following quote comes directly from Elena Mukhina: Im not condemning anyone or blaming anyone for what happened to me. Her stupid coach should have listened to her. Mukhina's career ended in tragedy, an injury on the eve of the 1980 Olympics left her paralyzed from the neck down just one month after celebrating her 20th birthday. The move was named after US mens star Kurt Thomas and involved a 1.5 backflip-1.5 twist combination before a roll-out. ", I blame Twitters virtue-signallers for fuelling this culture of celebrating weakness. With the Moscow Olympics fast approaching in 1980, the Soviet team was still formidable but success on home soil was non-negotiable. YouTube / Match TV / KinoProduct. Even though Mukhina herself would later state her injury was not the byproduct of a lone individual, but the flawed Soviet system as a whole. She was 20 years old. Elena Mukhina -1977 Paris Grand Prix Floor But the most eerie thing of all, is how many parallels this footage has to problems that are currently at the forefront of gymnastics as the sport tries to change its culture. I realized that the commandments do not think badly, do not act badly, do not envy are not just words. The other was twice her age who had professional training that could be used as a tool for manipulation. Klimenko may have been one of the most extreme examples of a Soviet coach utilizing psychology, but he was far from the only one. It most likely was an attempt to hide/minimize Mukhinas negative demeanor. 6 ratings3 reviews. there is a wonderful new youtube site with many vids of mukhina i had not seen before including 1976 france https://youtu.be/D_zlw0AZsoc very young- looking mukhinaElena Mukhina But it is later revealed that crying helps her train and is described as being as procedural as chalking up. She is from Russia. But I dont think we really take a moment to think about just how severe and life-altering the injuries can end up being. USA Gymnastics released a statement confirming she had withdrawn with a "medical issue". From the debate over what constitutes emotional/mental abuse, to the sport trying to break its culture of silence. None of this is to say I completely absolve Klimenko of blame, as I do consider his coaching tactics to be a significant factor leading to Mukhinas paralysis and even agree with Soviet officials on that particular point. Required fields are marked *. So why did Simone Biles quit? (Whitney Bjerken Edits)https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5nX9OPpfQhT0TdF7nCkq6gOn this channel I will be showcasing some of the best gymnastics, edits and gymnast compilations! Watch. The sad reality is that Mukhina's fate isn't unlike many others - women's gymnastics is scattered with strikingly similar stories. At age 15, American. RIA Novosti, Mukhina was taken under the tutelege of Klimenko. On July 3, 1980, two weeks before the Moscow Olympics, Mukhina was practicing the pass containing the Thomas salto when she under-rotated the salto, crash-landed on her chin, and her spine snapped. Ex-Stratfor Chief George Friedman: Neither Russia nor Ukraine can win, war can only end via negotiation! Can you let (these thoughts) happen? She does not get enough credit for how rapid and unexpected her rise was. That there is a direct connection between them and how a person feels. As a memorial to one of the greatest Soviet-era gymnasts ever, the biggest sports newspaper in Russia, Sovietskij SPORT, dedicated the cover of their Christmas 2006 issue to her. 42 talking about this. When she did speak, she was often philosophical about her fate. Because of the devastating injury, Elena Mukhina could not be added to the 1980 Soviet Union Olympic team roster. I also hope 2022 is a lot better than the past two years have been. Later that year the Soviet Union awarded her the Order of the Badge of Honor in response to her injury. Kids need strong role models not this nonsense.. Mukhina was training at the Minski Palace of Sport when the injury occurred, her coach was not present. It didnt seem like Mukhina was very cooperative with the film crew which is why they went with such unusual pans, cuts, and pivots. There are other tough moments in the footage. La trgica historia de la gimnasta que venci a Comaneci. Work, work, work. I know many won't watch it mainly due to the length of it, but I HAD to just explain basically everything because the point of this video, for me at least, is that maybe a coach will see it and the tragey won't repeat, normal people will see it and remember her name. The Soviet Union awarded her the Order of Lenin in response to her injury, and the IOC President awarded her the Silver Medal of the Olympic Order in 1983. A memorial service was held in her honor five days later, and she was buried at the Troekourov Cemetery on the southwestern outskirts of Moscow. His younger brother, Viktor, had won Olympic gold in Munich in 1972, but Mukhina was to be the first female gymnast he would endeavor to forge into a world-beater. Perhaps the most significant part of the footage comes when Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci is invoked in the discussion. and her World Championship performance is captured in the ABC Sports video Gymnastics' Greatest Stars. But the more time passed, the more Klimenkos career seemed to regress, at least in international competition. Comaneci herself would tip Mukhina for Olympic glory. At 1:13 Klimenko talks about how being a gymnastics coach is hard work. RIA Novosti, Mukhina's condition deteriorated and she struggled even to sit upright. I always try to add a hint of humor in each blog and promise to always unapologetically be myself. While Biles received widespread praise for admitting her mental health issues and opening up a conversation in a sport that is strewn with a history of life-altering or life-ending injuries, others were quick to dismiss Biles' explanation. When the doctors removed the cast against her wishes and had her attempt to walk on the leg, she said she knew that was walking crookedly, and that something wasnt right. Mukhina Badly Hurt In Gym Fall Washington Post, I have always wanted to take my favorite subjects; true crime, sports, and anything macabre and take time to write about them. Elena Mukhina Gymnastics Championships Sad Stories Olympics Montage Tribute Ripped Gymnastics Angel. Hace apenas unos das, el 22 de diciembre, falleci Yelena Mjina (tambin transcrito como Elena Mukhina), campeona del mundo en 1978. Unlike the fluke accident suffered by Drew Donnellan, the paralysis of Mukhina was the subject of much conjecture. Gymnasts. The 1979 World Championships, to be held in Fort Worth, were looming but Mukhina broke her leg during an exhibition in England, ruling her out of the competition. Jun 7, 2020 - A catastrophic injury cost Mukhina the use of her limbs. Lastly, Mikhail Klimenko pivoted to WAG only after his coaching career in MAG had failed to materialize. She also expressed a . Mukhinas reactions are not always being shown. (LogOut/ Elena Vyacheslavovna Mukhina was born on June 1, 1960, in Moscow, Russian SFSR (now Moscow, Russia). Comaneci famously earned the first-ever perfect 10 score for her performance on the uneven bars. Eglit, however, gradually came to understand that the gaunt-looking child in his charge possessed a talent which warranted more professional attention. Likewise, there was desperation from Klimenko to get Mukhina back on her feet and into training to ensure she made the team. At the time, Soviet officials were being pressured to build a team which was superior to that of the Romanians. At 2:11 Klimenko outright dares Mukhina to leave him and train without a coach. Klimenko, however, had other ideas, reportedly removing her from hospital and directly back to training, taking off the orthopedic brace from around her neck. These events overshadow what were two other hallmarks of Mukhina's career. You always learn how to be safe, but then you start thinking: Will you be able to prevent an accident if you do something badly? of her own health not just to avoid a blown hamstring or broken bone but to avoid a potentially life-threatening injury and haters have no ground to criticize her for that. One further detail that is critical to understanding the Mukhina-Klimenko coaching relationship is that they had risen up the Soviet ranks together. Mukhina was born in Moscow on June 1, 1960. She was 46 years old. Adding to the perplexing chain of events making Mukhina was the most unlikely gymnast to have ever achieved breakout success. Aged 18, Mukhina was imperious as she won gold in the all-around, team and floor events, as well as picking up silver medals in the uneven bars and balance beam. I thought you would like it given your interests in WAG history. Klimenko had broken Mukhina mentally, and he had also broken her physically. At the 1978 Worlds in Strasbourg, she won the all-around gold medal, beating out Olympic champions Nadia Comaneci and Nellie Kim, and earning a total of 5 medals, including 3 gold in the Team, All-Around, and Floor Exercise. But Morgan hit back, tweeting: "Athletesare now deemed more courageous, inspiring & heroic if they lose or quit then if they win or tough it out, which is ridiculous. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. However, unlike the popular narrative - Strug performed that vault under pressure from her coach, injuring her ankle further. Klimenko was deeply affected by the events and emigrated to Italy with his family, continuing his work as a gymnastics trainer. Elena Vyacheslavovna Mukhina ( Russian: ; first name sometimes rendered "Yelena", last name sometimes rendered "Muchina"; 1 June 1960 - 22 December 2006) was a Soviet gymnast who won the all-around title at the 1978 World Championships in Strasbourg, France. He sensed that his legacy as a trainer was bound up in Mukhina's fate. As a person, he wasnt just trying to preserve his coaching career, but his social status in which his coaching career depended on. They ended up getting more than they bargained for, and the price for that was paid by Elena Mukhina. Youre part of the problem," one person wrote. Note: It is for the reader to decide whether Klimenkos conduct in the Mukhina tapes constitutes emotional/mental abuse, it is not my intention to imply that it is. Her childhood was not a happy one. After analyzing all the information available, I believe Mukhina is completely correct to pin a majority of the blame on the Soviet WAG program as a whole. At the age of five years Elena lost both of her parents. Klimenko's hopes, bound up in the stifling demands of the Soviet sports system, would continue to bear down on her slender shoulders. Rivals in the arena, Comaneci and Mukhina were united in the debilitating pressures they had faced to reach the top. Up until 1975, Mukhina flew under the radar and Soviet coaches largely ignored her and her abilities. In many ways, the tragedy foreshadowed the sadness which would pursue Mukhina for the rest of her days. This is the final resting place of Elena Mukhina, one of the most remarkable athletes ever to grace her sport; an artist who pushed the limits of the human body in a way few have ever done. Estimated Net Worth in 2020. Mukhina said she did not blame him, instead pointing to a system that drove athletes such as her relentlessly to the brink. She tied for the gold medal in the floor exercises and won silver in the balance beam and uneven bars. When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Eleven years ago, former gymnastics star Elena Mukhina, whose life and sports career were ruined by a tragic training accident, passed away in Moscow at the age of 46. According to the reports Mukhina was practicing the difficult maneuvers in disregard of orders from her coach and virtual foster father, Victor Klimenko, who had left Minsk for Moscow. Everyone is looking at the platform, where a little girl with tousled bangs is soaring through the air. With under a year left until the 1980 Summer Olympics, the pressure mounted on the Soviet team coaches and doctors to get the previous all-around champion back on her feet. On July 3, 1980, Elena attempted the salto just two weeks before the Olympics. The Old Man and the Sea.". She died at 46 in 2006 en.wikipedia.org 33K 1.3K 1.3K comments 5 19761976 . Once again the Soviets were lambasting Mukhina by putting the burden back on her. Id estimate that most gymnasts would have needed about 5-8 years to go from where Mukhina was in 1974 to her emergence as a possible contender for the 1976 Soviet Olympic team. In 1976 Nadia Comaneci dominated the Olympics when she was only 14 years old. I have to focus on my mental health and not jeopardise my health and well-being," she said. Mukhina was rushed into surgery that afternoon, but the damage had already been done to her reputation; one of the National Team coaches, she said in the Ogonyok interview, showed up at her bed the day after surgery and outright stated that she \"wasn't conscientious\" and that she could still \"train in a cast.\" Once more against her wishes, the doctors removed her cast prematurely, and Mukhina returned to training for the Olympics while beginning a strenuous workout program at CSKA Moscow to lose the weight she had gained while laid up from surgery.\r\rWith lingering weakness in her leg and mounting exhaustion from the grueling weight loss workouts, Mukhina had great difficulty coming back up to speed on what was to be the new end element of one of her floor exercise tumbling passes, the Thomas salto, Despite Mukhina's warnings that the element was constantly causing minor injuries and was dangerous enough to potentially cause major injuries, she was pushed to keep the element in her floor routine, and she continued to practice it even knowing it was a dangerous element. Perhaps this is fate. Mukhinas usage of the term has as much to do with this mindset coming naturally to her as it does with Klimenko instilling that mindset on her. !Check out my other channel! A true champion! The Soviet Union saw Mukhina's injury as creating a poor image of the Soviet program, reflecting just how little consideration they gave to the wellbeing of their athletes. We often dont consider that a gymnast can suffer paralysis if they land on their neck, head, or back funny. Likewise, her full name is Ekaterina Alexandrovna Gordeeva. At 2:38 she appears to be especially distressed. 1 week ago After Mukhinas paralysis and other close calls with Olympic-eligible female gymnasts, the Thomas salto was removed from the Code of Points as an allowed skill for women. Already fixated with gymnastics when other girls were keen on figure skating, Mukhina would encounter the hand of fate when coach Atonina Olezhko visited her school and posed the question to the class: who among them would be keen on training? Bna. Entertainment. Two years ago, at 17, she captured the world spotlight by defeating Romanian Nadia Comaneci, the heroine of the 1976 Olympics, for the world title in Strasburg. NTV, Nadia Comaneci was queen at the 1976 Olympics. Her battle was now an entirely different one: to find some quality of life to accompany her immobility. Bilozerchev is champion again, smelling the roses and dancing until dawn. Elena was a former Soviet gymnast who won the All-around title at the 1978 World Championships at Strasbourg, France and was a four times European champion 1977 (Prague) and 1979 (Copenhagen). Mukhinas breakout success while being older than most of her competitors is one of WAGs greatest anomalies. Chinese peace plan: Can Beijing find a way to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict, despite open hostility from the US and NATO. She was orphaned at the age of 5 and was raised by her grandmother - Anna Ivanovna. On Twitter, Morgan further trashed the mental health reasoning behind her departure. Elena Vyacheslavovna Mukhina ( first name sometimes rendered "Yelena", last name sometimes rendered "Muchina"; June 1, 1960December 22, 2006), born in Moscow, Russian SFSR, was a former Soviet gymnast who won the All-Around title at the 1978 World Championships at Strasbourg, France. Of what happens when you push someone to compete through injury. Gymnasts . For Mukhina, just making it to the elite level was a staggering athletic accomplishment in itself. 1988. Elena Mukhina. Aug 4, 2021 - A catastrophic injury cost Mukhina the use of her limbs. First Name Elena. On July 3, 1980, Mukhina was practicing the part of her routine containing the Thomas salto. For Mukhina, a disturbing pattern had already emerged of an athlete being forced to push through injury in a clamor to the pinnacle of her sport. In the documentary, "Triumph of the Spirit . But inside the training hall of a high-level sport where elite-level athletes are children, it can become a weaponized tool. A memorial service was held in her honor on December 27th, and she was buried at the Trekourov Cemetery in Moscow, Russia. In general it's just historical video of one of the greatest gymnasts to ever be born. It didnt help that the next Olympics were slated to be held in Moscow and the Soviets did not want to see Nadia trounce the Soviet team at their Olympics. Instead a different gymnast is shown practicing on beam while Mukhina and Klimenko become narrations. In last summer's Spartakiad, the Soviet Union's sports festival that was opened to other nations as a dry run for the Olympics, Mukhina was the favorite, but finished 14th among her countrywomen and was criticized in the press for her "frivolous" approach to training. "We have to protect our body and our mind It just sucks when you're fighting with your own head.". Bravo pour votre travail remarquable sur Elena Moukhina ! I almost screamed with joy, she said. Sending love to you @Simone_Biles -Team UNITED States of America . Life isn't always butterflies and rainbows, so, its time to explore the dark side of things. . "This page is a tribute to the Wonderful Russian gymnast Yelena Mukhina (1960-2006), who was one of the greatest. I thought after my last very long article and all the information in it that I gave you guys to digest I would post something shorter this time. It is written as in her native Russian language. RIP - YouTube 0:00 / 2:37 Gymnastics Angel. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. In an article forDaily Mail, he urged Biles to "get back out there Simone, and dont get sucked into all the weak woke failure-loving Twitter nonsense youre too great a champion to be labelled a quitter.". But do not break down and go on living in spite of everything, understanding all her tragedy . Her injury was a featured topic in the 1991 A&E do*entary More Than a Game; and her World Championship performance is captured in the ABC Sports video Gymnastics' Greatest Stars. While it does feel as if there were misrepresentations being made, many of these exchanges do seem mostly genuine. After her injury, Mukhina was grateful to her former teammates who kept in touch with her, especially Yelena Davydova, whom she called A real friend. She lost her mother at an early age, in a tragedy apparently caused when her alcoholic father set fire to their apartment. As recently as the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Mukhinas was a name which appearedas Americas Simone Biles battled her own mental and physical demons. Not to envy others, but to learn to enjoy what is available to me. It is such a sad story so not recommended for the weak of hearts. Afghan officials would not confirm reports that seven wrestlers had defected last week to Pakistan rather than come to Moscow. For Biles, her refusal to be another number could very well be the most important move of her life. She was popular for being a Gymnast. In one of her few interviews about the tragedy, she criticized the Soviet gymnastics program for deceiving the public about the severity of her injury, and for the systems insatiable appetite for gold medals and championships. RIA Novosti, Mukhina was happy among teammates when not carrying out her demanding training regime. Read RT Privacy policy to find out more. Her injury was a featured topic in an A&E documentary More Than a Game; and her World Championship performance is captured in the ABC Sports video Gymnastic's Greatest Stars. You can find it on BFI player if you are interested. In 1983, Bilozerchev became the . By Laura Perrins. Just look at the cautionary tale of Soviet gymnast Elena Mukhina, . Take another look at the video from the Amanar vault gone wrong.While flipping and spinning . Mukhina achieved breakout success at the 1977 European Championships. Just a month prior to the 1980 Olympics in Moscow, 20-year-old Elena Mukhina under-rotated the Thomas salto, landing on her chin. Hi, slightly off topic but there is a film called Something different by Vera Chytilov that features Eva Boskov, a Czech gymnast of the 1950s and early 60s. Along with an outpouring of support for the 24-year-old's decision, there was one question on everyone's lips: While there was speculation as towhether Biles had obtained a physical injury, the athlete later shared that her decision was one that was based on mental health. Another questionable cut comes at 1:04 where Mukhina suddenly has a more positive demeanor, but Mukhinas arm placement is inconsistent suggesting filmmakers used different footage to fake her response to what Klimenko was saying. That realization precipitated a meeting on December 28, 1974, with the man who would alter the course of Mukhinas life thereafter: Mikhail Klimenko. At 3:00 Mukhina and Klimenko have a conversation regarding personal goals. I think I mentioned before that I wanted to be a gymnast growing up but didnt have the discipline because you know when youre ten years old your priority is having fun and pretty much nothing else. "We dont need people like you making snide comments like this and adding to the stigma. They hadnt just tolerated Klimenkos practices, but had become so satisfied with his results that other high profile Soviet gymnasts had been encouraged to switch gyms and join his training group. Mukhina performed the move, falling on her chin and crushing her cervical vertebrae. Mukhinas career ended in tragedy, an injury on the eve of the 1980 Olympics left her paralyzed from the neck down just one month after celebrating her 20th birthday. For Mukhina, a disturbing pattern had already emerged of an athlete being forced to push through injury in a clamor to the pinnacle of her sport. Other critics mocked Biles and compared her to Kerri Strug, who famously vaulted on an injured ankle for the United States at the 1996 Olympics, winning a gold medal. Leave a LIKE if you enjoyed the Story of \"Elena Mukhina\" \u0026 SUBSCRIBE for more gymnastics videos! RIA Novosti, EU must shift to wartime economy industry commissioner, Biden praises Scholz for diversifying away from Russian energy, EU offers Russian banks alternatives to SWIFT media. Vous lui rendez hommage. She would eventually get inducted into the CSKA Hall of Fame. Besides the previously mentioned obstacles such as conditioning and learning new skills, gymnastics is a reputation based sport, first you work for your name and then your name works for you.. By her own admission, Mukhina called herself a coward and was determined to break that label. As Mukhina would later recall, her hand shot up without hesitation. Keep supporting great journalism by turning off your ad blocker. It was almost exclusive to male gymnastics and required perfect execution to avoid being cripplingly dangerous. Montage of Elena Mukhina. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Just admit you did badly, made mistakes, and will strive to do better next time. Mukhina spent 18 months to go from having never done high level routines to being capable of holding her own against your average Olympian. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Yelena Mukhina (17161471)?