Elena Gurova (URS)
1984 DTB Cup
1984 Druzhba (Junior Friendship Tournament): 1st T, 2nd
AA
1985 Druzhba (Junior Friendship Tournament): 1st AA
1985 Champions All: 9th AA
1987 USSR Championships: 4th AA
1987 Chunichi Cup: 1st AA
1987 Moscow News: 3rd AA, 1st V, 2nd UB, 2nd BB
1987 USSR Cup: 2nd AA, 3rd UB, 2nd BB, 1st FX
1987 World Championships: 2nd T
1988 World Sports Fair
1988 USSR Cup: 10th AA
The majority of these results were compiled
from information found at Gymn
Forum
Elena Gurova never made an Olympic team, and competed only in one
World Championships. Nevertheless, Gurova's name is one of the
most frequently cited among fans of gymnastics from the
1980s...and no wonder! Gurova threw skills like you wouldn't
believe. At the tender age of 12, Gurova became the first to
perform a double-twisting layout Yurchenko. Gurova's was not just
a trickster either, she had grace beyond her years. The daughter
of a Russian ballet teacher, Gurova seemed to have it all...she just
needed to turn age-eligible for major meets!
In 1987, Gurova made the Soviet's
World Championship team (along with Shushunova,
Boguinskaia, Baitova, Omelianchik, and Tuzhikova).
For only the second time in World Championship history (the first time being in
1979), the Soviets
lost the team medal - and much to their disappointment, to their
biggest rivals, the Romanians. Disheartened, the Soviet girls
returned home, vowing to stand atop the podium at the 1988
Olympics in Seoul. Sadly, half of these girls never got the
chance. At the 1988 USSR cup, Gurova, Tuzhikova and Omelianchik failed to qualify
for the Soviet Olympic team (although Omelianchik WAS named the
first alternate).
Some of the more avid supporters
of Gurova and/or Omelianchik have alleged that
these three were kept off the Olympic team as punishment for the
team's loss at the 1987 World Championships. Whether they were or
not, the undeniable fact remains that many talented girls, not
just these three, were worthy of an Olympic experience and were
denied a berth on the Olympic team. The Soviet national team was
extremely deep in talent at the time, and any choice that the
Soviets could have made would have been with met with some
disappointment.
Following her dismal placement at
the 1988 USSR Cup, Gurova faded out of sight, presumably
retiring. According to a number of posts on the 80s Tribute
message board, Gurova had a short sting with judging around
1992-1993, but has since left the sport completely. She is
believed to be working as an office employee (perhaps a typist)
in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Elena Gurova was born on December 30, 1972.
. This page was created June 2, 1999.
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