For a thorough listing of
Bilozerchev's competitive results,
please visit Gymn
Forum's Bilozerchev biography
Dmitri Bilozerchev was
born in Moscow, Russia on December 22, 1965. He become the World Champion after
only 10 years in the sport, winning the AA title at the 1983 World
Championships. While under the guidance of his coach, the great Alexander
Alexandrov, Dmitri earned many prestigious titles, but never the Olympic AA
title for which he strived.
The AA favorite leading
up to the 1984 Olympics, the Soviet boycott kept him from trying for the title.
Instead, Bilozerchev would compete in Olomouc at the Alternate Games. He won
these games easily, bringing home five gold medals (including the coveted AA
title) and one bronze medal.
With a win at the 1985
Europeans, he looked to be the favorite for the 1985 World Championships.
However, on October 13, just 10 days after receiving his driver's license,
Dmitri was in a serious car accident in which he broke his leg in over 40
places. Heavy rain was initially blamed, but then medical reports revealed a
high level of blood alcohol - Dmitri had been drinking and driving. He narrowly
escaped having his leg amputated, instead undergoing three operations. In an
interview with World Gymnastics magazine, he spoke of the ordeal as "...heavy
punishment, a lesson for life."
Despite being told by
doctors he may never walk properly again, Dmitri came back to gymnastics in full
force. He surprised everyone - coaches, critics, and even himself - when he not
only made the 1987 Soviet World Team but again won the AA title. Going
into the 1988 Olympics, he was again the favorite. Unfortunately, difficulty
during the team competition cost him the AA title, placing him in third. While
planning to continue to the 1989 Worlds, and possibly the 1992 Olympics, he was
asked to leave the team for not following training policy.
Dmitri proceeded to
form a new company called TESS United Team of Olympic Champions.
TESS, a Swedish gas company, was willing to sponsor gymnasts from all over the
former Soviet Union. In exchange for a salary, the gymnasts would share a
portion of their prize earnings with TESS. Unfortunately, the venture was short
lived.
Dmitri came to the USA in the early
90's for a competition and opted to stay, leaving his wife (a former figure
skater) and son behind. In 1993, Dmitri showed up at the World Championships in
Birmingham, England as Valeri Belenki's coach. (In 1993, Belenki's native
country of Azerbaijan was not recognized by the F.I.G., but because of Belenki's
accomplishments under the Soviet Union, the F.I.G. made a special allowance for
Belenki to compete for himself and not a country).
Dmitri has since competed in the the 1994 and 1995 Reese's
professional competitions, along with some other exhibitions. He lives in Oregon with his
new wife, Olga Dubrovskaya (a choreographer who, according to IG
magazine, often works with Svetlana Boguinskaia). Dmitri currently coaches
at Creative Gymnastics in Beaverton, Oregon.
Update
(December 24, 2000). Dmitri's pupils at Creative Gymnastics are doing
well. A group of students will be traveling with him to Moscow to train
at the famous Dinamo Club. Dmitri has high hopes for a few of these
students making it to the US Nationals. Dmitri's
own children are enjoying the gym too! Son Alexei, age 10, is coached by
Dmitri and daughter Alisa, age 3, is starting to play around at the gym.
Update
(August 2005). Dmitri is now on the coaching staff at Ohio State!
Bilozerchev was born on December 22, 1965
© 2000-2002. This page was created on April 6, 2000
and last updated August 2005.
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