20 Facts About Oksana Omelianchik

Oksana Omelianchik is a retired Soviet gymnast and the all-around gold medalist of the 1985 World Championships.

Oksana Omelianchik was born on 2 January 1970 in Ulan-Ude, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union.

Oksana Omelianchik was originally a figure skater, and participated in her first skating meet at the age of 6.

Oksana Omelianchik began gymnastics on the recommendation of her skating choreographer, who believed she had potential in the sport.

Oksana Omelianchik trained at the Spartak club in Kyiv, where her coaches included Valentina Panchenko, Valery Tupitsy and Tatiana Perskaya.

In 1985, Oksana Omelianchik won the Soviet National Championships, beating the future Olympic champion Elena Shushunova.

Oksana Omelianchik competed at the European Championships for the first time, winning the balance beam title showing a triple twist dismount.

Oksana Omelianchik won a bronze medal in the all-around behind Shushunova and East German Maxi Gnauck, silver on the floor exercise, and bronze on the uneven bars.

Oksana Omelianchik was a member of the gold-winning Soviet team at the 1985 World Gymnastics Championships in Montreal.

Oksana Omelianchik struggled in the team competition and did not qualify for the all-around final.

Oksana Omelianchik continued to compete for the Soviet team after the World Championships, placing third in the all-around at the 1986 Goodwill Games and third all around at the World Cup in Beijing.

Oksana Omelianchik won the balance beam title and placed second on uneven bars and vault and third on floor exercise.

Oksana Omelianchik debuted her new vault which introduced the half-on technique in the roundoff family of vaults.

Oksana Omelianchik showcased a new floor routine to Ballet Russe and a new triple full to a tuck front rebound, but suffered an uncharacteristic fall in the team competition.

Oksana Omelianchik placed fifth in the all-around and qualified only for the vault final; however, she was eventually withdrawn by team officials, with Svetlana Baitova competing in her place.

Oksana Omelianchik was named as an alternate to the team and traveled with them to Seoul, but was not called upon to compete.

Oksana Omelianchik remains heavily involved in gymnastics as a choreographer, coach and judge.

Oksana Omelianchik was noted for her innovative skills, clean execution and energetic, inspired presentation.

Oksana Omelianchik was one of the pioneers of back-to-back tumbling on floor exercise, a series of skills in which a gymnast completes one full tumbling run from one end of the mat to the other, rebounds, and performs another complete tumbling run in the opposite direction without stopping.

Oksana Omelianchik has two eponymous skills listed in the Code of Points.