Elodie Lussac (FRA)
1989 Junior French
National Championships: 1st AA
1990 Junior French National Championships: 1st AA (won by nearly 3.5 pts!)
1990 Trophée Massilia
1991 Junior French National Championships: 1st AA
1991 Jr. European Championships: 7th AA, 1st UB, 7th BB
1991 Australian Grand Prix: 7th AA (?)
1991 Trophée Massilia: 2nd UB, 2nd BB, 3rd FX
1992 Junior French National Championships: 1st AA
1992 Trophée Massilia
1992 Jr. European Team Championships: 3rd T
1993 French National Championships: 1st AA
1993 Blume Memorial: 1st AA, 1st UB, 1st BB, 2nd FX
1993 Jr. European Championships: 1st AA, 5th V, 2nd UB,
1st BB, 1st FX
1993 International of France: 1st UB, 1st BB
1994 French National Championships: 1st AA (tied with
Begue)
1994 France vs. Germany vs Romania: 5th AA
1994 European Championships: 4th T, 8th V, 6th BB
1994 American Cup: 4th AA
1994 Worlds (Dortmund): 7th T
Results courtesy of Caroline Paulian
Many people consider Elodie Lussac as France's
first major international threat to the world of women's artistic
gymnastics. Indeed, Elodie outperformed the well-known Khorkina
(RUS) in 1993 to claim the prestigious Junior European AA title.
That same year, the French issued 50 commemorative phone cards
with Elodie's picture. Elodie was a national hero.
The following year, in 1994,
Elodie suffered several terrible injuries. At the World
Championships in Brisbane, Australia, Elodie missed one of her
feet when dismounting the beam. She landed on her back and then
bounced back onto her face. X-rays revealed a facial bone
fracture.
That same year, at the World Team
Championships in Dortmund, Germany, Elodie sufferred a
career-ending back injury. The Lussacs alledge that Elodie
complained of back problems prior to competing in Dortmund, but
the French Gymnastics Federation turned a blind eye and forced
her to compete. Sadly, when she returned home to Marseille,
Elodie was diagnosed with severe vertebral stress fractures in
the 4th and 5th vertebraes. She spent 7 months in a cast and four
more in a surgical corset. Elodie eventually recovered but never
returned to elite gymnastics.
According to the French newspaper, Le Point, Elodie and her parents brought a lawsuit
against the French Gymnastics Federation, responsible, according
to them, for the injury that forced Lussac to end her gymnastics
career. To complicate matters, Elodie's father was himself
affiliated with the French Gymnastics Federation as he was one of
Elodie's coaches!
July 1st, 1999:
According to Sportsweb, the French
Gymnastics Federation was ordered to pay Elodie 10,000 francs
(approximately $1,700 U.S.) in damages. The court held the
federation responsible for pain Elodie endured following the
injury she sustained in Dortmund, but not for the injury itself.
Elodie was seeking 550,000 francs (approximately $92,500 U.S.),
far less than what she was awarded.
Update (November 16,
1999). Fulfilling a dream she had long ago, Elodie is currently
studying medicine in Montpellier, France.
Elodie Lussac was born on May 7, 1979.
Updates courtesy of Elodie and friend Alexa
. This page was created on February 15, 1999 and last updated on December 22, 1999.
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