Editing Yelena Shushunova

{{Short description| Soviet Russian gymnast}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2018}}
{{Infobox gymnast
| name            = Yelena Shushunova
| image           = Yelena Shushunova 1987.jpg
| image_size      = 250px
| caption         = Shushunova in 1987
| fullname        = Yelena Lvovna Shushunova
| altname         = Elena Shushunova
| nickname        =
| country         = {{URS}}
| formercountry   =
| birth_date      = {{birth date|df=yes|1969|05|23}}
| birth_place     = [[St. Petersburg|Leningrad]], [[Russian SFSR]], [[Soviet Union]]
| hometown        = 
| death_date      = {{death date and age|2018|08|16|1969|05|23|df=y}}
| death_place     = [[Saint Petersburg]], [[Russia]]
| height          = {{convert|1.47|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| discipline      = WAG
| natlteam        = 1981–88 ([[Soviet Union women's national gymnastics team|URS]])
| club            = SKA St. Petersburg
| gym             =
| collegeteam     =
| headcoach       =
| assistcoach     =
| formercoach     =
| choreographer   =
| music           = Two Guitars – Russian Gypsy Music

| eponymousskills = floor: straddle pike landing in planche; uneven bars: Swing forward with half turn – further half turn to counter straddle in flight over high bar
| retired         = 25 September 1988
| show-medals     = yes
| medaltemplates  = <!-- see [[Template:MedalRelatedTemplates]] -->
{{MedalCountry | {{USSR}} }}
{{MedalCompetition | [[Olympic Games]] }}
[[File:Olympic rings.svg|center|60px]]
{{MedalGold | [[1988 Summer Olympics|1988 Seoul]] | [[Gymnastics at the 1988 Summer Olympics – Women's artistic team all-around|Team]] }}
{{MedalGold | [[1988 Summer Olympics|1988 Seoul]] | [[Gymnastics at the 1988 Summer Olympics – Women's artistic individual all-around|All-around]] }}
{{MedalSilver | [[1988 Summer Olympics|1988 Seoul]] | [[Gymnastics at the 1988 Summer Olympics – Women's balance beam|Balance beam]] }}
{{MedalBronze | [[1988 Summer Olympics|1988 Seoul]] | [[Gymnastics at the 1988 Summer Olympics – Women's uneven bars|Uneven bars]] }}
{{MedalCompetition | [[World Artistic Gymnastics Championships|World Championships]] }}
{{MedalGold | [[1985 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships|1985 Montreal]] | Team }}
{{MedalGold | [[1985 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships|1985 Montreal]] | All-around }}
{{MedalGold | [[1985 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships|1985 Montreal]] | Vault }}
{{MedalGold | [[1987 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships|1987 Rotterdam]] | Vault }}
{{MedalGold | [[1987 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships|1987 Rotterdam]] | Floor exercise }}
{{MedalSilver | [[1985 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships|1985 Montreal]] | Floor exercise }}
{{MedalSilver | [[1987 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships|1987 Rotterdam]] | Team }}
{{MedalSilver | [[1987 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships|1987 Rotterdam]] | All-around }}
{{MedalSilver | [[1987 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships|1987 Rotterdam]] | Balance beam }}
{{MedalBronze | [[1985 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships|1985 Montreal]] | Balance beam }}
{{MedalBronze | [[1987 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships|1987 Rotterdam]] | Uneven bars }}
{{MedalCompetition | [[Artistic Gymnastics World Cup|World Cup Final]] }}
{{MedalGold | 1986 Beijing | All-around }}
{{MedalGold | 1986 Beijing | Vault }}
{{MedalGold | 1986 Beijing | Uneven bars }}
{{MedalGold | 1986 Beijing | Floor exercise }}
{{MedalBronze | 1986 Beijing | Balance beam }}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Goodwill Games]]}}
{{MedalGold|1986 Moscow|Team}}
{{MedalGold|1986 Moscow|Vault}}
{{MedalGold|1986 Moscow|Uneven Bars}}
{{MedalGold|1986 Moscow|Floor Exercise}}
{{MedalSilver|1986 Moscow|All-Around}}
{{MedalSilver|1986 Moscow|Balance Beam}}
{{MedalCompetition | [[European Women's Artistic Gymnastics Championships|European Championships]] }}
{{MedalGold | [[1985 European Women's Artistic Gymnastics Championships|1985 Helsinki]] | All-around }}
{{MedalGold | 1985 Helsinki | Vault }}
{{MedalGold | 1985 Helsinki | Uneven bars }}
{{MedalGold | 1985 Helsinki | Floor exercise }}
{{MedalGold | [[1987 European Women's Artistic Gymnastics Championships|1987 Moscow]] | Vault }}
{{MedalBronze | 1985 Helsinki | Balance beam }}
{{MedalBronze | 1987 Moscow | All-around }}
{{MedalCompetition | [[Gymnastics at the Friendship Games|Friendship Games]] }}
{{MedalGold | 1984 Olomouc | Team }}
{{MedalBronze | 1984 Olomouc | All-around }}
}}

'''Yelena Lvovna Shushunova''' ({{langx|ru|Елена Львовна Шушунова}}; sometimes spelled '''Elena Shushunova'''; 23 May 1969 – 16 August 2018) was a Soviet Russian [[gymnastics|gymnast]].<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://tass.ru/sport/5462199 |script-title=ru:Умерла двукратная олимпийская чемпионка по спортивной гимнастике Елена Шушунова |work=ТАСС |access-date=17 August 2018 |language=ru}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.lequipe.fr/Gymnastique/Actualites/L-ancienne-gymnaste-russe-elena-chouchounova-est-morte/931128 |title=L'ancienne gymnaste russe Elena Chouchounova est morte |last=Rédaction |work=L'ÉQUIPE |access-date=17 August 2018 |language=fr-FR}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |url=http://gymnast.bplaced.net/AG/Shushunova/Shushunova.htm |title=Elena Shushunova |last=Schenker |first=Béla |website=gymnast.bplaced.net |access-date=17 August 2018}}</ref> Shushunova was one of five women (alongside [[Larisa Latynina]], [[Věra Čáslavská]], [[Ludmilla Tourischeva]] and [[Lilia Podkopayeva]]) who have won all-around titles at all major competitions: Olympics, World Championships and European/Continental Championships<ref name=r1 /> and one of eleven women who [[List of females who medaled on every event at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships|medaled on every event at World Championships]]. Shushunova was renowned for pioneering complex skills as well as her explosive and dynamic tumbling and high consistency.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |url=https://www.ighof.com/inductees/2004_Yelena_Shushunova.php |title=Yelena Shushunova |website=IGHOF.com |publisher=[[International Gymnastics Hall of Fame]] |access-date=17 August 2018}}</ref>

== Junior career ==
Shushunova was born and grew up in [[Leningrad]] and began gymnastics when she was approximately six or seven years old.<ref name="r1" /><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |url=http://www.gymn.ca/gymnasticgreats/wag/shushunova.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101111092135/http://www.gymn.ca/gymnasticgreats/wag/shushunova.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=11 November 2010 |title=GymnasticGreats.com: Whatever happened to Elena Shushunova? |date=11 November 2010 |access-date=17 August 2018}}</ref> She began competing as a junior gymnast in 1981.<ref name=":0" /> In 1982, she won gold medals at the 1982 Moscow News (now known as Moscow Stars of the World) and the Junior European Championships.
In 1983, she won the USSR Cup, which she won every year until 1988 with the exception of 1984.<ref name=":0" />

== Senior career ==
Shushunova was named as a member of the Soviet national gymnastics team in 1984, but was unable to compete at the [[1984 Summer Olympics]] as the [[Soviet Union]] boycotted the Olympics.<ref name="r2" /> Instead, she competed at the 1984 [[Friendship Games]] in [[Olomouc]], [[Czechoslovakia]], where she finished third all around and helped the USSR to a gold in the team event.<ref name="r1" />

The following year Shushunova made her breakthrough by winning the all-around title at the European Championships.<ref name="r2" />  She also won three gold medals in the event finals on vault, floor exercise, and uneven bars (which she shared with East German Olympian [[Maxi Gnauck]]).  At the [[World Gymnastics Championships|World Championships]] she won five medals including the all-around title, which she shared with compatriot [[Oksana Omelianchik]].  She took first on vault, third on beam, and second on floor.  In her floor exercise she tumbled a double layout, and side Arabian 1 and 3/4 [[sommersault|salto]], both rare skills for women at that time; in fact, women are no longer allowed to compete saltos which end in a roll.  Here she displayed her signature skill, a straddle jump to prone support, a rare and innovative move for the 1980s.<ref name=r2 />

Shushunova's dominance in women's gymnastics continued at the 1986 World Cup in [[Beijing]].  There she won the all-around, vault, uneven bars, and floor exercise titles.  In this competition she displayed an increased level of difficulty on two apparatus, showing a Rulfova flic (full twisting Korbut flic) on balance beam and a tucked full in double salto dismount on the uneven bars.<ref name=r1 /> At the [[1986 Goodwill Games]] she led the Soviet team to a gold medal, but then fell twice in the all-around finals to finish second to teammate [[Vera Kolesnikova]]. She rallied in the event finals to take, once again, the vault, bars, and floor golds and the beam silver.<ref name="r2" />

In 1987, Shushunova lost the European title to Romanian [[Daniela Silivaș]] due to a fall on a double layout dismount from the uneven bars.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://articles.olympicchannel.com/olympic-champion-yelena-shushunova-passes-away-49/ |title=Olympic champion Yelena Shushunova passes away at 49 |date=17 August 2018 |work=Olympic Channel {{!}} Articles|access-date=17 August 2018|language=en-US}}</ref> At the European Championships she earned a bronze in the all-around and a gold on vault.<ref name="r1" /> She continued to show increased difficulty on all apparatus by competing a double layout dismount on the uneven bars, a layout [[Thomas salto]] on floor, and a full in dismount on beam.  Later that year her team lost the World Championships team title, placing second to the Romanian team. Shushunova also lost the world title to Romanian [[Aurelia Dobre]], finishing in second place.<ref name="r2" />  In the event finals she retained her vault title with her textbook Yurchenko full and Yurchenko 1.5, beating Romanian [[Eugenia Golea]]. She also earned a bronze medal on the uneven bars.<ref name="r2" /> Shushunova also earned silver on balance beam and tied with Daniela Silivas for gold on floor exercise.

=== 1988 Olympics ===
In 1988, Shushunova competed at the [[Gymnastics at the 1988 Summer Olympics|Summer Olympics]] in [[Seoul]]. She scored three perfect scores of 10 in optional events and won the individual all-around and team event titles. She also won silver on balance beam and bronze on uneven bars. Shushunova fell on a double twisting Yurchenko on vault and failed to medal. She also failed to medal on floor exercise due to stumbling out of the landing of her opening full-in double back and falling out of her arabian 1 3/4 salto.<ref name=":1" /><ref name="r2" />

=== Later life ===
Shushunova retired from competition two months after the 1988 Olympics and later returned to her home city of Saint Petersburg, where she worked for the city's sports committee.<ref name=":3" /> She helped to organise the gymnastics events of the [[1994 Goodwill Games]] and 1998 European Championships, both of which were held in Saint Petersburg.<ref name="r1" />

In 2004, she was inducted into the [[International Gymnastics Hall of Fame]].<ref name="hof">{{cite web |title=YELENA SHUSHUNOVA |work=International Gymnastics Hall of Fame. Unfortunately, on August 16, 2018, Shushunova died from complications of pneumonia at age 49. |url=http://www.ighof.com/honorees/2004_Yelena_Shushunova.php |access-date=1 October 2012}}</ref> In the following year, she was inducted into the [[International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame]].<ref name="r2" />

=== Eponymous skills ===
Shushunova has two eponymous skills named after her in the [[Code of Points (gymnastics)|Code of Points]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Women’s Artistic Gymnastics – 2025-2028 Code of Points |url=https://www.gymnastics.sport/publicdir/rules/files/en_1.1%20-%20WAG%20COP%202025-2028.pdf |website=[[International Gymnastics Federation]] |date=22 April 2024 |access-date=2 February 2025}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Apparatus !! Name  !! Description  !! [[Code of Points (gymnastics)#Table of elements|Difficulty]]{{efn|name=difficulty|Valid for the 2025–2028 Code of Points}}
!Notes
|-
| Uneven bars || Shushunova || Swing forward with half turn – further half turn to counter straddle in flight over high bar || E (0.5)
|<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |url=http://www.wogymnast.com/2018/08/1988-olympic-all-around-champion-elena.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180817161431/http://www.wogymnast.com/2018/08/1988-olympic-all-around-champion-elena.html |url-status=usurped |archive-date=17 August 2018 |title=1988 Olympic All Around Champion Elena Shushunova Dead, Aged 49 |last=xxxxx |work=WOGymnastika |access-date=17 August 2018 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.flogymnastics.com/articles/5042467-a-guide-to-named-release-moves-on-bars-part-1 |title=A Guide To Named Release Moves On Bars – Part 1 |access-date=17 August 2018 |language=en-US}}</ref>
|-
| Balance beam/floor|| Shushunova || Jump with stretched hips to planche (minimum 40 degree angle) || C (0.3)/A (0.1)
|<ref name=":2" />
|}
{{notelist}}

==Death==
Shushunova died from complications of [[pneumonia]] on 16 August 2018.  She was 49.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://olympics.nbcsports.com/2018/08/16/yelena-shushunova-dies-gymnastics/ |title=Yelena Shushunova, 1988 Olympic all-around champion, dies at 49 |date=16 August 2018 |access-date=17 August 2018 |publisher=NBC Sports |first=Nick |last=Zaccardi}}</ref>

==Competitive history==

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%;"
|-
! align=center|Year
! align=center|Event
! style="width:30px;"|Team
! style="width:30px;"|AA
! style="width:30px;"|[[Gymnastics vault|VT]]
! style="width:30px;"|[[Gymnastics uneven bars|UB]]
! style="width:30px;"|[[Gymnastics balance beam|BB]]
! style="width:30px;"|[[Gymnastics floor|FX]]
|-
! colspan="8" | '''Junior'''
|-
| rowspan="2" | '''1980'''
| align=left | Junior USSR Championships || ||{{bronze3}} ||{{silver2}} ||{{bronze3}} || ||
|-
| align=left | Junior USSR Cup || ||6 || || || ||
|-
| rowspan="3" | '''1981'''
| align=left | Kosice International || ||6 || 5||{{gold1}} || ||{{silver2}}
|-
| align=left | Riga International || ||4 || || || ||{{gold1}}
|-
| align=left | Ostrava International || || || || || ||{{bronze3}}
|-
| rowspan="3" | '''1982'''
|- bgcolor=#F5F6CE
| align=left | Junior European Championships || || 15|| || || ||{{gold1}}
|-
| align=left | Moscow News || ||{{silver2}} || || || ||{{gold1}}
|-
! colspan="32" | '''Senior'''
|-
| rowspan="6" | '''1983'''
| align=left | Chunichi Cup || ||{{silver2}} || || || ||
|-
| align=left | East Bloc Spartikade || ||{{bronze3}} || || || ||
|-
| align=left | Tokyo Cup || || || || ||{{gold1}} ||{{silver2}}
|-
| align=left | USSR Championships || ||{{bronze3}} || ||{{silver2}} ||4 ||{{gold1}}
|-
| align=left | USSR Cup || || {{gold1}}|| || || ||
|-
| align=left | USSR Spartikade || ||{{bronze3}} || ||{{silver2}} || ||
|-
| rowspan="7" | '''1984'''
| align=left | Chunichi Cup || ||{{silver2}} || {{gold1}}|| ||{{gold1}} ||{{gold1}}
|-
| align=left | Moscow News || ||{{silver2}} || ||{{silver2}} ||{{silver2}} ||
|-
| align=left | Tokyo Cup || || ||{{gold1}} || || ||{{gold1}}
|-
| align=left | USSR Junior Championships || || ||{{gold1}} ||{{bronze3}} || ||{{gold1}}
|-
| align=left | USSR Championships || || || 6|| || ||
|-
| align=left | USSR Cup || ||{{bronze3}} || || || ||
|-
| align=left | [[Gymnastics at the Friendship Games|Friendship Games]] ||{{gold1}} || {{bronze3}}|| || || ||8
|-
| rowspan="6" | '''1985'''
|-bgcolor=#F5F6CE
| align=left | [[1985 European Women's Artistic Gymnastics Championships|European Championships]] || ||{{gold1}} ||{{gold1}} ||{{gold1}} ||{{bronze3}} ||{{gold1}}
|-
| align=left | Moscow News || ||{{gold1}} ||{{gold1}} ||{{silver2}} ||{{silver2}} ||
|-
| align=left | USSR Championships || ||{{silver2}} ||{{gold1}} ||{{gold1}} || ||{{gold1}}
|-
| align=left | USSR Cup || ||{{gold1}} || {{gold1}}||{{gold1}} || ||{{gold1}}
|-bgcolor=#CCCCFF 
| align=left | [[1985 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships|World Championships]] ||{{gold1}} ||{{gold1}} || {{gold1}}|| ||{{bronze3}} ||{{silver2}}
|-
| rowspan="3" | '''1986'''
| align=left |[[1986 Goodwill Games|Goodwill Games]] ||{{gold1}} ||{{silver2}} ||{{gold1}} || {{silver2}}|| ||{{gold1}}
|-
| align=left | USSR Cup || ||{{gold1}} || || || ||
|-
| align=left | [[1986 FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Cup|World Cup Final]] || ||{{gold1}} ||{{gold1}} ||{{gold1}} || {{bronze3}}||{{gold1}}
|-
| rowspan="6" | '''1987'''
|-bgcolor=#F5F6CE
| align=left | [[1987 European Women's Artistic Gymnastics Championships|European Championships]] || ||{{bronze3}} ||{{gold1}} || ||4 ||
|-
| align=left |[[1987 Summer Universiade|Summer Universiade]] ||{{gold1}} ||{{gold1}} || {{gold1}}||{{gold1}} || {{gold1}}||{{gold1}}
|-
| align=left | USSR Championships || ||{{gold1}} ||{{silver2}} ||{{gold1}} || {{bronze3}}||{{silver2}}
|-
| align=left | USSR Cup || ||{{gold1}} ||{{silver2}} ||{{gold1}} || {{bronze3}}||{{silver2}}
|-bgcolor=#CCCCFF 
| align=left | [[1987 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships|World Championships]] ||{{silver2}} ||{{silver2}} ||{{gold1}} || {{bronze3}}||{{silver2}} ||{{gold1}}
|-
| rowspan="5" | '''1988'''
| align=left | French International || ||{{gold1}} || || || ||
|-
| align=left | Moscow News || ||{{gold1}} || ||{{gold1}} ||{{gold1}} ||6
|-
| align=left | USSR Championships || ||{{silver2}} ||{{silver2}} || {{gold1}}||{{gold1}} ||
|-
| align=left | USSR Cup || || {{gold1}}|| || || ||
|-bgcolor=98FB98
| align=left | '''[[Gymnastics at the 1988 Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]''' ||{{gold1}} ||{{gold1}} || 8||{{bronze3}} ||{{silver2}} ||7
|-
| rowspan="1" | '''1991'''
| align=left | World Professional Championships || || ||{{bronze3}} ||{{bronze3}} || ||{{gold1}}
|}<ref>{{cite web |title=Elena Shushunova (USSR) |url=https://www.gymn-forum.net/bios/women/shushunova.html |website=Gymn Forum |access-date=24 July 2022 |date=20 October 2019}}</ref>

==See also==

*[[List of Jews in sports#Gymnastics|List of select Jewish gymnasts]]
*[[List of top female medalists at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em|refs=
<ref name=r1>{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/sh/yelena-shushunova-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161203234449/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/sh/yelena-shushunova-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=3 December 2016}}</ref>
<ref name=r2>{{Cite web |url=http://www.jewishsports.net/BioPages/YelenaShushunova.htm |title=Yelena Shushunova |website=jewishsports.net |publisher=[[International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame]] |access-date=17 August 2018}}</ref>
}}

==External links==
* {{FIG|bio=22221|lic=678|name=Elena Shushunova}}
* [http://www.gymn-forum.net/bios/women/shushunova.html Elena Shushunova] at Gymn Forum
* {{Olympics.com|elena-shushunova|Elena Shushunova|org_id=yelena-shushunova|org_name=Yelena Shushunova|org_archive=20160920122224}}
* {{Olympedia|29211|Yelena Shushunova}}
* {{IGHOF|name=Yelena Shushunova}}
* {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070311054116/http://www.rgz.ru/archive/nomer/917/173 |date=11 March 2007 |title=Biography}} {{in lang|ru}}
* [http://www.gymstarz.net/animations/01northerneuropeanchampionships/msfx004.gif Schuschunova element on the floor (3rd one in the sequence)] – animated [[.gif]]

{{Navboxes
|title = International championships for Yelena Shushunova
|list =
{{Olympic champions artistic gymnastics Women TC|1988}}
{{Footer olympic champions individual all-round women}}
{{NavigationWorldChampionsArtisticGymnasticsWomenTC|1985}}
{{NavigationWorldChampionsArtisticGymnasticsWomenAA}}
{{NavigationWorldChampionsArtisticGymnasticsWomenVault}}
{{NavigationWorldChampionsArtisticGymnasticsWomenFloorExercise}}
{{Footer European Artistic Gymnastics All-Around Champions (Women)}}
{{Footer European Artistic Gymnastics Vault Champions (Women)}}
{{Footer European Artistic Gymnastics Uneven Bars Champions (Women)}}
{{Footer European Artistic Gymnastics Floor Exercise Champions (Women)}}
}}
{{International Gymnastics Hall of Fame members}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shushunova, Yelena}}
[[Category:1969 births]]
[[Category:2018 deaths]]
[[Category:Deaths from pneumonia in Russia]]
[[Category:Soviet female artistic gymnasts]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists for the Soviet Union]]
[[Category:Olympic silver medalists for the Soviet Union]]
[[Category:Olympic bronze medalists for the Soviet Union]]
[[Category:Olympic gymnasts for the Soviet Union]]
[[Category:Gymnasts at the 1988 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Soviet Jews]]
[[Category:Jewish Russian sportspeople]]
[[Category:Gymnasts from Saint Petersburg]]
[[Category:World champion gymnasts]]
[[Category:Medalists at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships]]
[[Category:Olympic medalists in gymnastics]]
[[Category:European champions in gymnastics]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1988 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Lesgaft National State University of Physical Education, Sport and Health alumni]]
[[Category:International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Honoured Masters of Sport of the USSR]]
[[Category:Burials at Bogoslovskoe Cemetery]]
[[Category:Competitors at the 1986 Goodwill Games]]
[[Category:Goodwill Games medalists in gymnastics]]
[[Category:Originators of elements in artistic gymnastics]]
[[Category:Friendship Games medalists in gymnastics]]