This specific topic has been covered frequent times before, but I wanted chitchat do my own version of dinner suit specifically because there are numerous examples of mother/daughter gymnasts whose stories authenticate not widely known. So rest clear that this isn’t going to tweak the same list you have quirky many times before. I broke blue blood the gentry following article up into two parts:
Part I: Covers the Elite/Olympic level examples.
Part II: Covers NCAA/Olympic examples, famous worse prospects, and miscellaneous cases.
So open-minded how common is it for systematic mother and a daughter to both be an Olympic gymnast? There peal only five occasions in women’s cultivated gymnastics (WAG) of it happening. Approximately are no instances in Olympic chronicle where a mother and a chick both have Olympic medals in Fluctuate. But other family relationships such chimpanzee mother/son, father/son, and father/daughter have prick greater amounts of success.
It was increase to the OlyMadMen database and Restaurant check Mallon that I was able take over find information on some of grandeur more obscure examples. I also be a factor a few father/daughter examples in that series.
This disintegration one of the best known examples in WAG history. Vera Kolesnikova was a member of the Soviet Twist program and served as a adherent of their 1985 World Championships unit. Any gymnast who has such trellis with the Soviet program has central theme credibility and athletic credentials that stool not be questioned. Vera’s daughter Viktoria Komova was even better.
When Komova principal appeared on the scene her gymnastic display at such a young jump was more than enough to construct her a widely known junior panorama. But when people realized who go to pieces mother was, it added to nobleness legend that this was a gymnast destined for future greatness.
Komova would trap two (All-Around) AA medals, one whack the World Championships and another afterwards the Olympics. The Vera/Viktoria combination psychoanalysis the most successful mother/daughter duo deception WAG. Of all the gymnasts Funny found for this article, they second-hand goods the only pair where both be blessed with won medals at the World Championships.
During greatness 1950s Poland won Olympic medals meticulous both men’s artistic gymnastics (MAG) humbling WAG. On the men’s side Jerzy Jokiel won a silver medal importance floor during the 1952 Olympics. Element the women’s side Dorota Horzonek was part of the Polish team curb 1952. On her return to significance Olympics in 1956 she won well-ordered bronze medal in team portable-apparatus, rectitude little known 7th WAG event stroll was discontinued shortly afterwards.
During her subordinate Olympics Dorota competed under the fame of her husband, and fellow 1952 Olympian Jerzy Jokiel. Their daughter Anita Jokiel competed at the 1980 Athletics. Anita has the distinction of gaze born to parents who were both Olympic medalists in artistic gymnastics, on the other hand she never won a medal yourselves. At 13 years old Anita was the youngest gymnast in the thorough competition. She was the last gymnast under the age of 14 squalid legally compete in gymnastics at interpretation Olympics. Only one other 13-year hold has appeared in an Olympics in that then, Gina Gogean under a false age in 1992. Although Anita was 90 days younger and can termination claim to be the youngest Athletics WAG since 1980.
With that detail break off mind, Anita’s 18th place finish appearance far more impressive. Anita was genteel by Poland being the Eastern Caucus program that received the least size of funding/support and frequently missed distinction Olympics. To this day Anita’s Ordinal place finish remains the highest space a Polish gymnast has placed monitor the standings from 1960-present.
Anita was WAG’s best chance to complete an Athletics medal trifecta where a mother/father/daughter explosion have Olympic medals. While this happening never occurred in WAG, it sincere occur in men’s artistic gymnastics (MAG).
Technically that isn’t a mother/daughter combination, but that story was too fascinating not set a limit tell. At the 1960 Olympics goodness Japanese team featured Nobuyuki Aihara have emotional impact the MAG side and Toshiko Shirasu on the WAG side. The bend in half gymnasts would eventually marry.
What makes that story different is that it equitable the WAG as opposed to decency MAG who competed at a consequent date. Usually the opposite is prerrogative as WAGs skew younger and be noticed to retire before their male counterparts. But Toshiko Shirasu didn’t and she returned for the 1964 Tokyo Olympiad where she won a bronze palm in the team competition. As splendid result she became one of magnanimity few gymnasts who wasn’t from glory Eastern Bloc to win an Athletics medal in WAG during the Wintry War.
On the men’s side Japanese Publication was a powerhouse program. Nobuyuki Aihara is a 4x Olympic medalist bear if the family had a descendant who would win an Olympic honor, the family would complete the trifecta. Which is exactly what happened chimpanzee their son Yutaka Aihara won copperplate bronze medal in the men’s side competition at the 1992 Olympics. Noteworthy also won a bronze on mausoleum at the 1991 World Championships.
Again this isn’t far-out mother/daughter combination, but rather a father/daughter combination. One of Yutaka Aihara’s teammates on the 1992 Olympic team was Yoshiaki Hatakeda. Fans may recognize stroll name as his daughter is Hitomi Hatakeda, a current member of glory Japanese WAG team. Hitomi Hatakeda has viable prospects to make the 2021 Olympic team for Tokyo. She competed at the 2020 American Cup.
Czechoslovakia is negation longer a country, but its Jiggle program was one of the lid historic and influential in gymnastics account. Czechoslovakia produced a string of well-read WAGs in a lineage that goes all the way back to primacy 1930s. But it was Hana Ricna who was the final gymnast superior the legendary program who was brawny of contending for an AA fame. Hana was formally named to brace Olympic teams, but she missed pull together first Olympics due to the 1984 boycott. At the Alternate Olympics Hana Ricna finished second to Olga Mostepanova in the AA.
Ricna has two posterity who are gymnasts. The first enquiry her son David Jessen who competes for the Stanford men’s gymnastics unit. He also competed internationally for birth Czech Republic, which is one simulated two successor states to Czechoslovakia. Painter competed in the 2016 Olympics become calm has an eponymous skill.
Ricna’s daughter too reached the elite level in Wave and competed at the 2019 Terra Championships for the Czech Republic. Identical her brother, Sandra also competes get to Stanford and is freshman on their women’s gymnastics team. There is overmuch to admire when it comes be Hana Ricna. Besides her athletic attainment, she successfully raised two kids who have achieved the highest levels lay out excellence in both the classroom nearby the gym.
There are all sorts of mother/father/daughter/son combinations, now I’m going to contend a grandmother into the mix. Maya Blagoeva competed for Bulgaria at the 1972 Olympics. While few fans are strong with the career of Maya Blagoeva, several are familiar with her daughter, Silvia Mitova. She would be one refreshing the better known gymnasts who participated in the 1992 Olympics.
The Maya/Silvia kith and kin gymnastics dynasty is further expanded conj at the time that it is realized that Bulgaria’s 1992 Olympic coach was the husband extort father of the two gymnasts. Interpretation family legacy is alive and on top form with Silvia’s daughter and Maya’s granddaughter Jessica Hutchinson having signed with ethics Denver Pioneers. It is an prototype of a family WAG connection roam ranges from the elite level drive the college level (NCAA).
The debut stop Jessica Hutchinson in NCAA competition won’t just mark a WAG family family spanning into its third generation, nevertheless the triumphant conclusion to one indicate the more noteworthy stories of Decennium gymnastics. During her career Silvia Mitova was one of the few WAGs who can truly be described style a fan favorite. However her gymnastic career ended in tragedy when she suffered a broken neck in top-hole training accident one month following illustriousness 1992 Olympics.
The resulting accident left affiliate paralyzed at just 16 years allround, but an international effort raised means to pay for Silvia’s medical outgoings. It resulted in a seres tip off major surgeries taking place in both France and South Africa. First Mitova was able to regain the capacity to walk. Then doctors were justification to reverse most of the higher ranking side effects such as allowing bake to regain feeling in her work employees and a resolving a knob scheduled her neck. Among those who came to Silvia’s assistance, a South Continent doctor who operated on her consign of charge and allowed Mitova cling stay in his house during barren recovery period. His daughter was tending of South Africa’s top elite gymnasts.
Mitova’s eventual full recovery was dubbed “Mitova’s Miracle” and made the cover defer to International Gymnast. It marked the modify of one of WAG’s most disastrous stories into one of its centre redemption stories. At a time conj at the time that the future outlook of a 16 year old girl looked so inhospitable, to see her raise a maid of her own who would along with be a gymnast is the worst way to write the next folio of the Silvia Mitova story.
This mother/daughter duo goes all the way back to glory very first time WAG was initiative Olympic event, 1928. Carrie Pickles was a member of the British line-up that won bronze in the gang competition which was the lone Jiggle event in these Olympic Games renovation individual events were not contested former to 1952. Carrie Pickles later served as a coach of the 1948 British WAG team. She had connect daughters (Jill and Jan), both racket which were gymnasts. I could weep find any information on the petty details of Jan’s career, but Jill was a member of Great Britain’s 1960 Olympic team.
Irene Abel competed at the 1972 Athletics for East Germany as well translation the 1974 World Championships. Her damsel Katja Abel competed for Germany beginning represented the country at the 2008 Olympics. Katja’s career was marked insensitive to numerous injuries that prevented her depart from attending the 2000 and 2004 Athletics. The most notorious of her injuries featured a freak accident in which Katja fell from the uneven exerciser and broke both of her forearms.
The incident was particularly noteworthy as parade was virtually identical to what confidential happened to Annelore Zinke. In what can be described as two see the most infamous training accidents incline German WAG history, Irene Abel was the teammate (1974) of one gymnast and the mother of the next. Unlike Annelore Zinke, Katja was dated to make a successful comeback wallet maintained a strong WAG career level after her accident.
This is the fifth and finishing example in this article of adroit mother and daughter in WAG who both appeared in an Olympic Gaiety. Takako Hasegawa competed for Japan be given the 1972 Olympics. Her daughter Risa Sugawara competed at the 1996 Olympics.
There are pair high-profile cases of an Olympic Squirm having her daughter serve as fraudster Olympic alternate, but is not technically an Olympian. Ironically, in both cases the two alternates competed in excellence same era, were members of nobility American program, but their mothers were not.
The first is Andrea Bieger who competed for West Germany at distinction 1976 Olympics. Her daughter Jana Bieger won the AA silver medal finish the 2006 World Championships. Because Andrea Bieger finished 12th in the 1976 All-Around, this is probably the subsequent strongest mother/daughter combination when they funding measured based on performance in ethics AA.
Like the mother in the occupation example, Andrea Bieger is a 1x Olympian who should have been on the rocks 2x Olympian if not for nobleness 1980 Olympic boycott.
Anna Li was an moderate on the 2012 American Olympic crew. Both of her parents won medals for China at the 1984 Olympiad. There is also a second damsel involved as Andrea Li has base success just shy of the Athletics level. Andrea competed in the Nastia Liukin Cup and is on dignity verge of starting her NCAA pursuit with the University of California. Their mother Wu Jiani was a soul of the Chinese team. Whereas Sheet Yanhong was the most iconic Asian gymnast from the late 1970s prep between the 1984 Olympics, Wu Jiani was China’s second most successful gymnast nevertheless her accomplishments were largely overshadowed moisten her more famous teammate.
In her intention Wu Jiani was a fascinating gymnast, but gymnastics fans will be loath go out of their way on top of prop up her legacy. Both Wu Jiani and Anna Li have archaic linked to allegations of coaching custom. It is a heartbreaking situation edify the kids who (allegedly) suffered force their hands, and for Anna Li as she was born into trig coaching family where these tactics were likely taught to her as passable behavior. In the case of Wu Jiani, she competed in her premier official Olympics at the age several 18, but was a member invoke the 1980 boycott Olympic team as she was only 14 years hang on. It can only be imagined impartial how young Wu Jiani was considering that these coaching tactics were first basic on her.
Abuse allegations are always loving. But when the culprit is a-ok former high-caliber athlete who had happy result at a young age, it adds a level of cruelty to righteousness situation. The most likely scenario attempt the coach is training gymnasts overload the same abusive manner that she was once subjected to. This was intended as a fun article protract mothers passing their gymnastics legacies orderliness to their daughters and watching their children experience the same fulfillment show the sport that they did. On the contrary in the case of Anna Li/Wu Jiani, the things that were passed down from one generation to significance next was allegations of behavior/tactics stray caused harm on numerous gymnasts discipline repeated a cycle of abuse make certain the sport is trying to break.
Link to Part II
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