Editing Lilia Podkopayeva (section)

==Gymnastics career==

=== 1993–95 ===
In March 1993, Lilia won her only National All Around Title in Ukraine. In April 1993, Podkopayeva competed at the [[1993 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships|World Artistic Gymnastics Championships]] in [[Birmingham|Birmingham, England]]. She qualified for the [[Vault (gymnastics)|vault]] final, but crashed on her first attempt and finished last with a score of 8.893.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gymperium.eu/Gymnast/165/|title = Lilia Podkopayeva}}</ref>

At the [[1994 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships|1994 World Championships]] in [[Brisbane|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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gymnasticsresults.com/90/w1994w.html |title=1994 World Championships |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=2011 |website=Gymnastics Results |access-date=23 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212130922/https://gymnasticsresults.com/90/w1994w.html |archive-date=12 February 2019 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In November 1994, at the [[1994 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships (Team)|World Team Championships]] in [[Dortmund|Dortmund, Germany]], she contributed an all-around score of 38.099 toward the Ukrainian team's fifth-place finish.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gymnasticsresults.com/90/wt1994w.html |title=1994 Teams World Championships Women's artistic gymnastics |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=2005 |website=Gymnastics Results |access-date=23 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327223524/http://www.gymnasticsresults.com/90/wt1994w.html |archive-date=27 March 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The following year, Podkopayeva competed at the [[1995 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships|1995 World Championships]] in [[Sabae, Fukui|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).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gymnasticsresults.com/90/w1995w.html |title=1995 World Championships |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=2011 |website=Gymnastics Results |access-date=23 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090422190459/http://www.gymnasticsresults.com/90/w1995w.html |archive-date=22 April 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

=== 1996 ===
At the beginning of the year, Podkopayeva was seriously injured when she fell from the beam in practice, fracturing two ribs.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.si.com/vault/1996/07/26/216340/twister-after-her-competition-fell-away-ukraines-lilia-podkopayeva-touched-down-with-the-gold-in-the-all-around|title=TWISTER AFTER HER COMPETITION FELL AWAY, UKRAINE'S LILIA PODKOPAYEVA TOUCHED DOWN WITH THE GOLD IN THE ALL-AROUND|date=26 July 1996|magazine=Sports Illustrated}}</ref> 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).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gymnasticsresults.com/90/e1996w.html |title=1996 European Championships |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=2006 |website=Gymnastics Results |access-date=23 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201022816/http://www.gymnasticsresults.com/90/e1996w.html |archive-date=1 February 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==== Atlanta Olympics ====
In July, Podkopayeva competed at the [[1996 Summer Olympics]] in [[Atlanta|Atlanta, Georgia]]. In the [[Gymnastics at the 1996 Summer Olympics – Women's artistic team all-around|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 [[Gymnastics at the 1996 Summer Olympics – Women's artistic individual all-around|all-around final]] with a score of 39.255. In event finals, she placed fifth on [[Gymnastics at the 1996 Summer Olympics – Women's uneven bars|uneven bars]] (9.787), second on [[Gymnastics at the 1996 Summer Olympics – Women's balance beam|balance beam]] (9.825), and first on [[Gymnastics at the 1996 Summer Olympics – Women's floor|floor]] (9.887).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gymnasticsresults.com/olympics/og1996wag.html |title=Games of the 26th Olympiad Artistic Gymnastics |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=2009 |website=Gymnastics Results |access-date=23 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090629044400/http://www.gymnasticsresults.com/olympics/og1996wag.html |archive-date=29 June 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> 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 [[Gymnastics at the 2016 Summer Olympics|2016]].

=== 1997 ===
Podkopayeva originally intended to continue competing after the 1996 Olympics, and she was named to the Ukrainian team for the [[1997 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships|1997 World Championships]]. However, injuries forced her to sit out the competition and, later, to retire.<ref>{{cite web|first=Andrew |last=Houghton|title=Golden Memories: Twisters Coach remembers Atlanta Games|website= www.daily-tribune.com|location= Cartersville, GA|date= 11 August 2016|url= http://www.daily-tribune.com/stories/golden-memories-twisters-coach-remembers-atlanta-games,12943}}</ref>