International Female Gymnasts [1] Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. After finishing 2nd in the All-Around at the 1992 Olympic Games, Shannon Miller had an undefeated All-Around winning streak, including two World All-Around titles in 1993 and 1994. Shortly after winning her 2nd world title, she would lose the All-Around at the Goodwill Games to a gymnast she had defeated just months before. Who was the gymnast?

Answer: Dina Kochetkova

Dina Kochetkova had an outstanding international debut in 1994. In just her first World Championships, she won the bronze medal behind Shannon Miller and Lavinia Milosovici in the All-Around competition, as well as winning bronze on the uneven bars and winning gold on the floor exercise.

When she defeated Shannon Miller at the Goodwill Games, she officially established herself as one of the worlds top All-Around gymnasts and a major contender for the Olympic games in 1996. Unfortunately, this would be the last time Dina would enjoy success in the All-Around on the international level. Probably the main thing that contributed to this was problems on the vault. During the 1994 season, she used a vault with a 9.8 start value.

In order to remain competitive with the rest of the world, she often would attempt 10.0 start value vaults at major competitions, including the 1995 Worlds & 1996 Olympics, with unsuccessful results.

She did, however, win another world title in 1996 on the balance beam.

2. Who was the first Russian woman to win the All-Around gold medal at an Olympic Games?

Answer: Yelena Davydova

In 1952, Maria Gorokhovskaya won the 1st Olympic All-Around gold medal while competing for the Soviet Union(USSR). However, she was born in the Ukraine. Larissa Latynina, the Olympic All-Around champion in 1956 and 1960, was also of Ukranian descent. In 1972, the next Soviet gymnast to win the All-Around gold medal was Ludmilla Tourischeva, another Ukranian great.

It would not be until 1980 that a Russian born gymnast named Yelena Davydova would win the All-Around title in one of the most controversial judging events in Olympic history. Yelena Shushunova won the Olympic All-Around title in 1988, making her the 2nd Russian woman to win the All-Around gold medal.

In 1992, Tatiana Gutsu would win gold for Ukraine, followed by Lilia Podkopayeva in 1996.

In total, a gymnast from the Ukraine has won the Olympic All-Around gold medal 6 times, more than any other country.

3. Romanian gymnasts are very often criticized for their uneven bars work, citing lack of difficulty and what has been referred to as "cookie cutter" routines. However, over the years there have been some standout gymnasts who could compete with the very best in the world on the uneven bars. In fact, there are two Romanian gymnasts that have won World titles on the uneven bars. Who are they?

Answer: Daniela Silivas & Lavinia Milosovici

Nadia Comaneci did win the Olympic gold medal in 1976 on uneven bars, but did not win a medal of any kind at the World Championships on uneven bars. Ekaterina Szabo, best known for winning the silver medal in the all-around in 1984, won a silver medal on the uneven bars at the 1983 World Championships. Daniela Silivas, one of the most successful and dominant gymnasts to emerge from Romania, won back-to-back uneven bars titles in 1987 & 1989 and also won Olympic gold on the event in 1988. Lavinia Milosovici would become the 2nd Romanian woman to win the uneven bars title at the World Championships in 1992.

4. At the 1995 World Championships, Lilia Podkopayeva unveiled a tumbling pass on floor exercise for the very first time. Being the first gymnast to compete this skill, it has the distinction of being named after her. Interestingly enough, not only was she the first gymnast to successfully complete this tumbling run, but she is the only gymnast to even attempt this extremely difficult pass. What did she do?

Answer: Double Front Tuck w/a Half Twist

All of these are very hard tumbling runs, but only Lilia had such mastery of front tumbling that she was able to connect two front handsprings into a double front somersault with a half twist out. To date, no other gymnast has even attempted this pass. She also competed with this pass very successfully at the 1996 Olympic Games, winning gold medals in the All-Around & Floor Exercise.

5. In a great career that spanned nearly a decade(1987-1996), Svetlana Boginskaya won either a World Championship or Olympic medal on every event at least once in her career.

Answer: False

Svetlana Boginskaya made her World Championship debut in 1987, winning a silver medal with the team and a bronze medal on the balance beam. At the 1988 Olympic games, she won a gold medal with the team, a bronze in the all-around competition, another gold medal on the vault, and a silver medal on floor exercise.

At the 1989 World Championships, she would give her greatest performance, winning 3 gold medals in the team, All-Around, and floor exercise competitions. In 1991, she won 2 gold medals(team and balance beam) and 1 silver medal in the All-Around competition.

At the 1992 Olympic games, she failed to win a single individual medal, but won gold as captain of the Unified Team(EUN). After 1992, she retired before making a comeback in 1996, where she made her 3rd Olympic team, where did not win a single medal. All in all, Boginskaya never won a medal on the uneven bars at a World Championship or Olympic games. Spectacular career, though.

6. After the 1995 World Championships, this 2-Time World Champion gymnast was very vocal about the fact that she felt her routines were "underscored by the judges" and that she believed she "deserved a spot on the podium" in the all-around competition. Who was this athlete?

Answer: Elena Piskun

Despite having some of the most difficult routines in womens gymnastics at the time, Elena Piskun of Belarus finished in 10th place during the all-around competition at the 1995 World Championships and failed to qualify for any of the event finals. She won her world titles on vault(1993) & uneven bars(1996; tied with Svetlana Khorkina).

7. In the 1960s, Vera Caslavska was one of the most dominant forces in women's gymnastics. During her competitive years, she accomplished many things, but one is distinctively hers. What is the accomplishment?

Answer: She is the only gymnast to win an Olympic gold medal on each indiviudual event

Vera Caslavska was one of the most consistent and dominant gymnasts of all time. During her career, she won a total of 7 Olympic gold medals, including the all-around in 1964 & 1968, vault in 1964 & 1968, uneven bars in 1968, balance beam in 1964, and floor exercise in 1968(tied with Larissa Petrik).

She is the only gymnast, male or female, to win a gold medal on every individual event at the Olympic games. The first gymnast from the Czech Republic to win an Olympic title was Alois Hudec(mens rings in 1936), followed by Jamie Heke(balance beam in 1960). Larissa Latynina won the all-around in 1956 & 1960.

She finished 2nd to Caslavska in 1964. Two other women have swept the European Championships since Caslavska first did it in 1965 and again in 1967. Those women are Ludmilla Tourischeva(1973) and Svetlana Boginskaya(1990).

8. This young lady made history by becoming the first female Canadian gymnast to win a medal at the World Championships. What is her name?

Answer: Elyse Hopfner-Hibbs

Elfi Schelegel was the first gymnast from Canada to make an impact internationally. However, she did not compete at a World Championship. Yvonne Tousek competed in the floor exercise finals in 1999, but placed a disappointing 8th. Kate Richardson competed on the floor exercise event finals at the 2004 Olympic games, finishing in 7th place.

9. She was the first gymnast to score a perfect 10 on the vault & floor exercise at the Olympic Games. Who was this athlete?

Answer: Nellie Kim

While Nadia was the first gymnast to score a perfect 10 at the Olympics, it came on the uneven bars. She would score 3 more 10's on the uneven bars, 2 on balance beam and 1 on floor exercise during the all-around competition. Nellie Kim scored a 10 on the vault during the all-around competition and on the floor exercise during the team optionals.

10. What do gymnasts Cheng Fei, Svetlana Khorkina, and Gina Gogean all have in common?

Answer: Each has won 3 consecutive World titles on the same event

Cheng Fei won World titles on vault in 2005, 2006, & 2007. Svetlana Khorkina won titles on the uneven bars in 1995, 1996(tied with Elena Piskun), 1997, 1999, and 2001. Gina Gogean won titles on floor exercise in 1995, 1996(tied with Kui YuanYuan), and 1997.

While Khorkina was captain of the Russian teams in 2000 & 2004 and Cheng Fei for China in 2008, Gina never was named as team captain for the Olympic team. That honor would go to her teammates Cristina Bontas(1992) & Lavinia Milosovici(1996). Cheng Fei and Svetlana Khorkina also have vaults named after them, while Gina Gogean does not.

Source: Author amarkray

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Nightmare before going online.
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This quiz focuses on the accomplishments of female gymnasts outside of the U.S. Enjoy!

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