Lilia Podkopayeva

Lilia Oleksandrivna Podkopayeva (Ukrainian: Лілія Олександрівна Подкопаєва; born 15 August 1978) is a Ukrainian former artistic gymnast. She is the 1995 world all-around champion, and the 1996 Olympic all-around and floor exercise champion. Often thought of as a complete athlete, Podkopayeva was known for combining power, style, and balletic grace.[3]

Lilia Podkopayeva
Personal information
Full nameLilia Alexandrivna Podkopayeva
Nickname(s)LilyPod, Golden Lily (in Ukraine)
Country represented Ukraine
Born (1978-08-15) 15 August 1978
Donetsk, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
Spouse
Tymofiy Nahornyi
​
​
(m. 2004; div. 2009)​
Height1.49 m (4 ft 11 in)
Weight42 kg (93 lb)
DisciplineWomen's artistic gymnastics
LevelSenior International Elite
ClubDynamo
Head coach(es)Lilia Puhachova (Choreographer),[1] Halyna Lozynska[2][1]
Eponymous skillsVault round-off, back-handspring with 1/2 turn on - piked salto forward with 1/2 turn off
Floor double front salto, also with 1/2 twist out
Retired1997
Medal record
Representing  Ukraine
Women’s artistic gymnastics
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
Olympic Games 2 1 0
World Championships 2 3 0
European Championships 4 1 4
European Team Championships 0 0 1
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place1996 AtlantaAll-Around
Gold medal – first place1996 AtlantaFloor Exercise
Silver medal – second place1996 AtlantaBalance Beam
World Championships
Gold medal – first place1995 SabaeAll-Around
Gold medal – first place1995 SabaeVault
Silver medal – second place1994 BrisbaneBalance Beam
Silver medal – second place1995 SabaeBalance Beam
Silver medal – second place1995 SabaeUneven Bars
Goodwill Games
Gold medal – first place1994 St PetersburgVault
Bronze medal – third place1994 St PetersburgTeam
Bronze medal – third place1994 St PetersburgFloor Exercise
European Championships
Gold medal – first place1994 StockholmFloor Exercise
Gold medal – first place1996 BirminghamAll-Around
Gold medal – first place1996 BirminghamUneven Bars
Gold medal – first place1996 BirminghamFloor Exercise
Silver medal – second place1994 StockholmBalance Beam
Bronze medal – third place1994 StockholmTeam
Bronze medal – third place1994 StockholmVault
Bronze medal – third place1996 BirminghamTeam
Bronze medal – third place1996 BirminghamVault
European Team Championships
Bronze medal – third place1997 ParisTeam

Gymnastics career

1993–95

In March 1993, Lilia won her only National All Around Title in Ukraine. In April 1993, Podkopayeva competed at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Birmingham, England. She qualified for the vault final, but crashed on her first attempt and finished last with a score of 8.893.[4]

At the 1994 World Championships in Brisbane, Australia, she placed sixth in the all-around with a score of 38.942. In event finals, she placed eighth on vault, scoring 9.424; fifth on uneven bars, scoring 9.350; and second on balance beam, scoring 9.737.[5] In November 1994, at the World Team Championships in Dortmund, Germany, she contributed an all-around score of 38.099 toward the Ukrainian team's fifth-place finish.[6]

The following year, Podkopayeva competed at the 1995 World Championships in Sabae, Japan. She helped Ukraine place fifth and qualify a full team to the 1996 Olympics. Podkopayeva then won the all-around final with a score of 39.248. In event finals, she placed first on vault (9.781), second on uneven bars (9.837), second on balance beam (9.837), and seventh on floor (9.087).[7]

1996

At the beginning of the year, Podkopayeva was seriously injured when she fell from the beam in practice, fracturing two ribs.[8] However, in May, she competed at the European Championships in Birmingham, where she helped the Ukrainian team place third and won the individual all-around with a score of 39.205. In event finals, she placed third on balance beam (9.756), first on uneven bars (9.825), and first on floor (9.862).[9]

Atlanta Olympics

In July, Podkopayeva competed at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. In the team final, she contributed a combined compulsory and optional score of 78.061 toward the Ukrainian team's fifth-place finish. She then won the all-around final with a score of 39.255. In event finals, she placed fifth on uneven bars (9.787), second on balance beam (9.825), and first on floor (9.887).[10] She was the fourth gymnast to win the Olympic all-around title as the reigning world champion, and the first gymnast to win the all-around without winning a team medal. She was also the last female gymnast to win the all-around title and an event-final gold medal until Simone Biles did this in 2016.

1997

Podkopayeva originally intended to continue competing after the 1996 Olympics, and she was named to the Ukrainian team for the 1997 World Championships. However, injuries forced her to sit out the competition and, later, to retire.[11]

Eponymous skills

Podkopayeva has two eponymous skills listed in the Code of Points.[12]

Apparatus Name Description Difficulty[lower-alpha 1]
VaultPodkopayevaRound-off flic-flac with 1⁄2 turn (180°) on - piked salto forward with 1⁄2 turn (180°) off4.2
Floor exercisePodkopayevaDouble salto forward tucked with 1⁄2 turn (180°)F
  1. Valid for the 2022-2024 Code of Points

Post-retirement

In 2002, Podkopayeva started the Golden Lilia International Sports Festival, an exhibition featuring artistic and rhythmic gymnasts, acrobats, and dancers. She said, "It's important to us to show outstanding people and brightest talent so that the next generation can follow the best of the best."[13]

In December 2004, she married a Ukrainian businessman Tymofiy Nahornyi. They have two children: Vadym, adopted in Ukraine in July 2006, and Karolina, born in November 2006. The couple divorced in 2009.[14]

In 2005, Podkopayeva became a United Nations goodwill ambassador on HIV/AIDS in Ukraine.[15] She is also an Ambassador of the Council of Europe for Sport, Tolerance, and Fair Play.[16]

In 2007, she won Ukraine's Dancing With the Stars with partner Sergiy Kostetskyi. The next year, she represented Ukraine in the Eurovision Dance Contest. Along with partner Kyrylo Khytrov, she placed third in the competition.[17]

In 2014, Podkopayeva did a gala event in Mexico, using similar choreography to the floor routine she performed in Atlanta, as well as doing back handsprings and round-offs.

In 2019, Podkopayeva joined the coaching staff at Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta's Perimeter Gymnastics.[18]

See also

References
  1. Alesia Batsman. Podkopayeva: For me Donetsk was, is and will be Ukraine (Подкопаева: Для меня Донецк был, есть и будет Украиной). Gordon.ua. 25 October 2018
  2. Olena Sadovnyk. Subtle matters of gymnastics (Тонкі матерії гімнастики). Olimpiyska Arena #10-2016.
  3. Lilia Podkopayeva, Class of 2008, International Gymnastics Hall of Fame. 2008. Archived from the original on 2014-06-26. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
  4. "Lilia Podkopayeva".
  5. "1994 World Championships". Gymnastics Results. 2011. Archived from the original on 12 February 2019. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
  6. "1994 Teams World Championships Women's artistic gymnastics". Gymnastics Results. 2005. Archived from the original on 27 March 2010. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
  7. "1995 World Championships". Gymnastics Results. 2011. Archived from the original on 22 April 2009. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
  8. "TWISTER AFTER HER COMPETITION FELL AWAY, UKRAINE'S LILIA PODKOPAYEVA TOUCHED DOWN WITH THE GOLD IN THE ALL-AROUND". Sports Illustrated. 26 July 1996.
  9. "1996 European Championships". Gymnastics Results. 2006. Archived from the original on 1 February 2014. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
  10. "Games of the 26th Olympiad Artistic Gymnastics". Gymnastics Results. 2009. Archived from the original on 29 June 2009. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
  11. Andrew Houghton, "Golden Memories: Twisters Coach remembers Atlanta Games", Daily Tribune News (Cartersville, GA; 11 Aug. 2016): http://www.daily-tribune.com/stories/golden-memories-twisters-coach-remembers-atlanta-games,12943
  12. "2022-2024 Code of Points Women's Artistic Gymnastics" (PDF). International Gymnastics Federation. pp. 69, 165, 206, 211. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  13. "Podkopayeva Pulls Off 'Golden Lilia' Extravaganza". International Gymnast Magazine Online. International Gymnast Magazine. 28 October 2008. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
  14. Natalia Dvali (29 January 2009). "Olympic Champion Lilia Podkopaeva Filed for Divorce". Gordon Boulevard Newspaper Archives. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
  15. "High-Profile Event to Promote Healthy Lifestyle in Donetsk region". United Nations in Ukraine. United Nations. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
  16. "United Nations Goodwill Ambassadors". United Nations in Ukraine. United Nations. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
  17. Amanda Turner (28 October 2008). "Podkopayeva Pulls Off 'Golden Lilia' Extravaganza". International Gymnast Magazine Online. International Gymnast Magazine. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
  18. "Gymnastics program hires Olympic gold medalist as new coach -". 21 February 2019.

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