I told the tragic story of Soviet Yelena Mukhina's life and career in the description for her gold medal winning floor routine from 1978 Worlds. The short version is that she became a quadriplegic recovering from injury--desperately trying to make the 1980 Olympic Games in her home city of Moskva.
But before that devastating accident, Yelena Mukhina truly had a revelatory meet at the 1978 World Gymnastics Championships in Strasbourg 🇫🇷. She medaled in four of the five individual events (all but vaulting), and she brought revolutionary skills to every single one of them. Her full-twisting Korbut on bars was jaw-dropping at the time and is banned today, such is its risk. But her hecht back dismount is named for her, and as a D element, it could be utilized today (from the high bar, not as Yelena did it). And Shantessa Pama did just that a few moons ago.
On beam, she sadly took out her front toss she was doing in 1977, making the routine a bit empty. But her grace and poise is exquisite, as is her double tuck dismount. Again, she was one of the first to compete it.
And on floor, her Mukhina (or full-in, as it is named for her in the COP) changed the game. She was the first to compete it. Her coach Mikhail Klimenko came from MAG, and it showed. Her had both Yelena and future pupil Alevtina Pryakhina performing skills years, if not decades, ahead of their time.
Often when a gymnast takes this much risk, it causes inconsistency. And that had been an issue with Mukhina in the past. But in Strasbourg, she put it all together and was justly rewarded with our sport's highest accomplishment. (Although interesting aside--under New Life Rules, silver medalist and professional messy bish Nelli Kim would have won the AA.)
26 авг 2024
