Elena Zamolodchikova
Russian artistic gymnast and four-time Olympic medallist.
Elena Mikhailovna Zamolodchikova (born 19 September 1982 in Moscow) is a retired Russian artistic gymnast who collected four Olympic medals. She became Olympic champion on vault and floor exercise in 2000, and also won world titles on vault in 1999 and 2002. At the 2004 Olympics, she took a team bronze.
Her father, Mikhail Alexandrovich, served in the Soviet Army and was among the first Chernobyl liquidators; her mother, Irina Nikolaevna, was a teacher. Zamolodchikova started gymnastics at age six after watching a competition on TV. She briefly quit when diagnosed with a congenital heart defect, but a second doctor overturned that diagnosis, and she resumed training.
She joined the Russian junior national team in 1996, winning team gold and vault silver at the Junior European Championships. In 1998, she debuted as a senior, taking team silver at the European Championships and placing fourth on vault. That year, she also won the all-around at the World Youth Games in Moscow. At her first World Championships in 1999, she claimed vault gold, team silver, and all-around bronze. She then won vault gold at both the Glasgow and Stuttgart Grand Prix events.
The 2000 season began with vault gold at the Montreux World Cup. Despite her father’s recent death, she competed at the European Championships, leading Russia to team gold and earning all-around and vault silvers plus a beam bronze. At the Sydney Olympics, she was part of a Russian team that included Svetlana Khorkina, Yekaterina Lobaznyuk, Elena Produnova, Anastasiya Kolesnikova, and Anna Chepeleva. They led qualifying but fell to bronze after errors, including Zamolodchikova’s beam fall. In the all-around final, she led after two events but fell on floor and finished sixth. She initially missed the vault final due to the two-per-country rule, but Khorkina gave up her spot, saying Zamolodchikova had a better chance. Zamolodchikova won vault gold (9.712 average) and then edged Khorkina by 0.038 points for floor gold. Later that year, she took vault gold and floor silver at the World Cup final, and at the Stuttgart World Cup won gold on vault, beam, and floor, plus a shared uneven bars silver.
In 2001, she won the American Cup all-around, then vault and floor gold at the Paris World Cup plus beam silver. She added vault gold and uneven bars silver at the Cottbus World Cup, and helped Russia win the European Te
- born
- 19 September 1982
- field
- Artistic gymnastics
- nationality
- Russian
- known_for
- 2000 Olympic champion on vault and floor exercise; two-time World champion on vault
Quick Facts
- Fullname
- Elena Mikhailovna Zamolodchikova
- Nickname
- Zamo
- Country
- RUS · WAG
- Birth Date
- 1982-09-19
- Birth Place
- Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
- Height
- 154 cm
- Discipline
- WAG
- Natlteam
- 1996-2009
- Club
- Dynamo Moscow
- Formercoach
- Nadesha Maslennikova
- Retired
- 2009
- Show-Medals
- yes
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Zamolodchikova was born in Moscow to Mikhail Alexandrovich, a Soviet Army member and Chernobyl liquidator, and Irina Nikolaevna, a teacher. She began gymnastics at age six after watching a competition on television. She briefly quit gymnastics after being diagnosed with a congenital heart defect, but this diagnosis was refuted by another doctor, and she returned to training.
She joined the Russian junior national team in 1996 and won team gold and vault silver at the Junior European Championships. In 1999, she won her first World gold on vault. At the 2000 Summer Olympics, she initially did not qualify for the vault final due to the two-per-country rule, but teammate Svetlana Khorkina gave up her spot, and Zamolodchikova won gold on vault and floor exercise. She also won a team bronze at those Games.
Zamolodchikova continued competing through 2009, winn
Reader's Guide
Elena Zamolodchikova's significance lies in her achievements as a vault and floor exercise specialist during a highly competitive era in women's artistic gymnastics. Her two Olympic gold medals in 2000, both on vault and floor, place her among the most successful Russian gymnasts of her generation. She also won two World vault titles (1999, 2002) and multiple European and World Cup medals. Her career was marked by resilience, including overcoming a congenital heart defect diagnosis and her father's death shortly before the 2000 European Championships. She contributed to Russian team medals at the Olympics, World Championships, and European Championships. Her legacy includes two eponymous skills in the Code of Points and her induction into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 2015.
Did You Know?
- She briefly quit gymnastics after being diagnosed with a congenital heart defect, but the diagnosis was later refuted by another doctor.
- At the 2000 Olympics, teammate Svetlana Khorkina gave up her spot in the vault final so Zamolodchikova could compete; Zamolodchikova went on to win gold.
- She had a heart attack in 2013.
- An American drag queen, Katya Zamolodchikova, bears her last name as a tribute.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Elena Zamolodchikova?
Elena Mikhailovna Zamolodchikova is a retired Russian artistic gymnast born on 19 September 1982 in Moscow. She is best known for winning Olympic gold on vault and floor exercise at the 2000 Sydney Games and for claiming two world titles on vault in 1999 and 2002.
What are Elena Zamolodchikova's major Olympic medals?
She earned four Olympic medals in total: gold on vault and floor in 2000, plus a team bronze at the 2004 Athens Games. Her 2000 individual double-gold performance remains her signature achievement in the sport.
How did Elena Zamolodchikova get into gymnastics?
She began training at age six after seeing a gymnastics competition broadcast on television. Her early path was not without setbacks, as she briefly left the sport after being diagnosed with a congenital heart condition.
What is Elena Zamolodchikova's family background?
Her father, Mikhail Alexandrovich, served in the Soviet Army and was one of the first responders dispatched to clean up after the Chernobyl disaster. Her mother, Irina Nikolaevna, worked as a teacher.
Why is Elena Zamolodchikova important in gymnastics history?
She stands out as a two-time world vault champion and a 2000 Olympic double-gold medalist, making her one of Russia's most decorated vault specialists of her era. Her career spanned the late 1990s into the mid-2000s, during which she consistently competed at the highest level on her signature apparatus.
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