Vera Kolesnikova (URS)
For a thorough listing of Kolesnikova's competitive results, please visit Gymn Forum's Kolesnikova biography
Vera Kolesnikova was
bon on October 7,1968 in a small village outside of Voronezh, Russia. Within a
few years of training she moved to Voronezh to train with Rima Alexandrova at
the Spartak club. She began representing the Soviet Union in the early 1980s
and within a couple of years was a contender for the Worlds team.
The Soviet Union
named two alternates to the 1983 World team, Vera and Valentina Shkoda. Two
years later Vera made the competitive line up for the 1985 Worlds. As one of
the lead off gymnasts, Vera posted excellent scores for her team. As expected,
the Soviets swept the competition. That same year Vera traveled all
around the globe, winning gold in Australia and collecting three bronze medals
in Japan.
In 1986 Vera competed
at the inaugural Goodwill Games, held in Moscow. With reigning co-World
Champions and fellow teammates Elena Shushunova and Oksana Omelianchik both
suffering unexpected falls in the all-around competition, Vera found herself
standing atop the podium.
Although she placed
extremely well at the 1987 University Games (2nd AA), then still a prominent
competition, the 1986 Goodwill Games was really Vera's last major hoorah. She
competed infrequently throughout the next two years, and in 1988 competed only
three routines at the USSR Cup. She retired that year, after not making the
Olympic team.
In 1991 Vera married.
She and her husband have two children, Sasha and Victoria ("Vika"). The family now lives in Voronezh, where Vera coaches gymnastics. She is also an international brevet judge. "My soul is with
gymnastics. It gives meaning to my life," Vera told IG magazine.
Update (August 2009): Daughter Victoria
Komova is one of Russia's top gymnasts, and recently took first place at the
2009 European Youth Olympic Festival.
. This page was created April 14, 2001 and last updated August 2009.
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