Olena Ihorivna Vitrychenko (, ; born 25 November 1976), also known as Elena or Yelena Vitrichenko, is a Ukrainian former rhythmic gymnast who primarily competed as an individual. She is the 1996 Olympics bronze medalist, the 1997 World all-around champion, and the 1997 European all-around champion. She now coaches in the United States.
Career Olena Vitrychenko was introduced to the sport in 1980 when she was four years old by her mother, Nina, herself a former rhythmic gymnast. Her mother coached her at the Deriugins School in Kyiv, and beginning in 1997, she trained in the Boris Savlokhov club. Her mother alleged that they were essentially kicked out of the Deriugins school by not being allowed full training time and rarely being allowed to practice routines with music.
Vitrychenko made her international debut in 1986. At the 1992 European Championships in Stuttgart, Germany, she won a bronze medal as a member of the Ukrainian group. At the 1994 World Championships in Paris, she placed 6th in the all-around.
At the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Vitrychenko seemed to be a contender for the gold medal, having placed first after preliminaries and second after the semi-finals. She was the only gymnast to perform clean routines on all days of the competition, including during the final; she finished with a good ribbon routine after Kateryna Serebrianska and Yana Batyrshina both dropped their ribbons during the last round of the competition finals. However, she placed third, a result that was controversial. Vitrychenko said in a 1998 interview that she felt "there was a little bit of unfair judging" at the event, though she defended having her own mother judge her at other events, pointing to the hoop final at the 1997 World Championships, where her mother scored her under Natalia Lipkovskaya, who won the final.
Vitrychenko won the all-around at the 1997 European Championships, where she also won gold in the hoop final, the 1997 Summer Universiade, and the 1997 World Championships, where she additionally won three of the event finals. The next year, she lost both the 1998 European Championships and the 1998 Goodwill Games titles to Alina Kabaeva. At the 1999 World Championships, she was fifth in the all-around but won the hoop and rope titles with perfect 10 scores.
At the peak of a long and well-publicized feud with the head of the Ukrainian Rhythmic Gymnastics Federation, Irina Deriugina, Vitrychenko was placed 19th in the qualification round at the 2000 European Championships in Zaragoza, Spain, and she withdrew in protest. After an official review determined that certain judges had clearly discriminated against Vitrichenko, Deriugina and five other judges were banned for one year. The other 26 judges at the event were not allowed to judge the Olympics.
Afterward, the International Olympic Committee awarded her a spot on the Ukrainian Olympic team. She performed well at the Olympics, finishing in fourth place behind Alina Kabaeva.BBC. . 1 October 2000. Retrieved on 27 May 2013. She retired in 2000.
Coaching career Vitrychenko coached rhythmic gymnastics in Spain for ten years. In March 2013, she began coaching at the Illinois Rhythmic Gymnastic Center. In 2014, she opened her own gym, which moved to Libertyville, Illinois in 2024.
Personal life Vitrychenko has three children.
Routine music information
YearApparatusMusic title2000Hoop Toccata and Fugue in D Minor by Vanessa Mae Rope (second) Bumble Bee Boogie by Robert WellsRope (first)Ty zh mene pidmanula by Vladimir Bustriakov (Ukrainian traditional) BallApassionata by Secret GardenRibbonPlaza of Execution / Stealing the Map music from The Mask of Zorro by James Horner1999Hoop Steppe by Rene AubryRope (second)Ty zh mene pidmanula by Vladimir Bustriakov (Ukrainian traditional) Rope (first)Plaza of Execution / Stealing the Map music from The Mask of Zorro by James HornerBallApassionata by Secret GardenRibbon (second)Harlem Nocturne by Sam Taylor Ribbon (first)Theme from Rainman by Hans Zimmer1998Hoop Saltimbanco music from Cirque du Soleil: Saltimbanco by Rene DupereClubs Birimbau (from Mystère, Cirque du Soleil) by Rene DupereRopeSeisouso music from Quidam by Benoît Jutras RibbonOne Man's Dream by Yanni 1997Hoop Saltimbanco music from Cirque du Soleil: Saltimbanco by Rene DupereClubs (second)Birimbau (from Mystère, Cirque du Soleil) by Rene DupereClubs (first)Latino by Anatoly VekshinRopeThe Heat (from Birdy) by Peter Gabriel RibbonOne Man's Dream by Yanni 1996Ball ?Rope Sing, Sing, Sing by Benjamin GoodmanClubs ?RibbonPink Panther, by Henry Mancini1995Ball Echano by Chuck MangioneRope (second)Sing, Sing, Sing by Benjamin GoodmanRope (first) Toccata & Fugue in D minor by Johann Sebastian BachClubs ?Ribbon (second)Carmen Suite by Rodion Shchedrin/ BizetRibbon (first)Boléro by Maurice Ravel1994Ball Toccata and Fugue in D Minor by Johann Sebastian BachRope Marche en la by Ennio MorriconeClubs Eclipse (from Nouvelle Experience, Cirque du Soleil) by Rene DupereRibbonPeer Gynt Suite No.1: In The Hall Of The Mountain King music from Peer Gynt by Edvard Grieg 1993Ball (second)Marche en la by Ennio MorriconeBall (first)Peer Gynt Suite No.1: In The Hall Of The Mountain King music from Peer Gynt by Edvard GriegHoop ?Clubs Rhapsody in Blue / Fascinating Rhythm by George GershwinRibbon?
Detailed Olympic results Year Competition description Location Music Apparatus Score-Final Score-Qualifying 2000 Olympics Sydney All-around 39.408 39.399 Plaza of Execution / Stealing the Map music from The Mask of Zorro by James Horner Ribbon 9.875 9.883 Sing, Sing, Sing by Benjamin Goodman Rope 9.825 9.850 Pink Dream by Anatoly Vekshin Ball 9.875 9.866 Toccata and Fugue in D Minor by Vanessa Mae Hoop 9.883 9.800 Year Competition description Location Music Apparatus Score-Final Score-Qualifying 1996 Olympics Atlanta All-around 39.331 39.266 unknown music Ribbon 9.816 9.866 Sing, Sing, Sing by Benjamin Goodman Rope 9.866 9.750 Pink Dream by Anatoly Vekshin Ball 9.800 9.900 unknown music Clubs 9.849 9.750
Honours Longines Prize for Elegance: 1999Japan Gymnastics
Orders Honorary Award of the President of Ukraine: 1996Decree of the President of Ukraine from 7 августа 1996 year № 665/96 «Про нагородження Почесною відзнакою Президента України» Order of Merit 2nd Class: 1997Decree of the President of Ukraine from 10 сентября 1997 year № 997/97 «Про нагородження відзнакою Президента України - орденом "За заслуги"»
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