Name~ Yelena Vladimarovnya Dolgopolova
D.O.B~ January 23 1980
Birthplace~ Volzhky, Russia
Favourite Event~ Floor exersize
Best Event~ Vault
Yelena Dolgopolova was born in Moscow Russia and has been training in gymnastics there ever since. She trains with the other top Russian gymnasts at the round lake training center.
Dolgopolova's first big international competition was the junior European championships in 1993. Yelena performed with inconsistency in this competition, but people noticed her because of her high level of difficulty and because of her dramatic choreography.
Over the next two years Yelena trained extremely hard and managed to finish high enough at the Russian championships to make the world championship team in 1995. This was the qualifying competition for the Atlanta Olympics and she produced some fine routines and helped her Russian team place 4th. Unfortunetly she did not compete on all events so she was unable to compete in the finals.
In 1996 Yelena really had to prove herself worthy if she wanted a place on the olympic team, and this she did with 3rd place at the Russian nationals. So she had made the team of 7 to compete in Atlanta.
The Russians left for America early so they could get some training in and get used to the climate. At the Olympics Yelena was a key member for her team. She competed on all events except beam and came in with the highest score of her team in the optional vault (9.737). Dolgopolova's efforts were enough to help her Russian team to the silver medal. But this may have come as a dissapointment after leading the earlier compolsory competition.
Yelena took a little while off, but was back competing soon afterwards. She won the Cup of Buratino over gymnasts such as Anna Kovalova and Yelena Grosheva. She also competed at the American cup, here she performed poorly but threw a new vault, a round-off half onto the horse into a layout front somersault.
Most recently she competed in the world championships in Lausanne, Switzerland helping her team to the silver medal!!! Plus making the vaulting finals and finishing a creditable 6th place.
At 17, Dolgopolova has no intention to retire and would like to compete at the 1999 world championship in China.
Her favourite gymnasts are Yelena Shushonova (because of the way she pulled through in Seoul in '88) and Yelena Groudneva because of the way she moves. Yelena mentioned in a talk with the international gymnast that she wants to be a star, and it seems as though she is well on her way to that!!
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