International Gymnast

spotted

From

RUSSIA

With LOVE

WHEN Russian Olympians Lyudmila Yezhova Greb- enkova and Georgy Grebenkov moved to the U.S. last December, they brought with them two lifetimes of experience and passion that they hope to transfer to the gymnasts at Elite Gymnastics Academy in Burnsville, Minn.

“As coaches in Russia, we could
only work with students that are
Olympic hopefuls, while in the U.S.,
everyone has the opportunity to
participate in gymnastics,” says
Lyudmila, who won three individual
world championships medals and
competed at the 2004 and ’08
Olympics. “Because there are a lot
of gymnastics students and training
facilities, the opportunities for us as
high-level coaches are wonderful.”
Georgy, who won the 2000
European junior all-around title and
placed 12th all-around at the ’04
Olympics, says he and Lyudmila
want to optimize their coaching

Russian Olympians Georgy Grebenkov and Lyudmila Yezhova are raising daughter Elizaveta in the United States.

knowledge as their own careers develop alongside their gymnasts’ in the U.S. The couple coach girls in Levels 4-8; Lyudmila handles beam, floor and ballet, while Georgy hands vault, bars and tumbling. Their daughter, Elizaveta, is a frequent visitor to the gym.

“We love gymnastics and want to
share our love, passion and knowl-
edge with children,” says Georgy, a
native of St. Petersburg. “Also, we
feel it is very important to stay
involved in the sport and continue
to learn new techniques.”
Georgy said his family finds life
in the U.S. calmer than in their for-
mer residence of Moscow,
Lyudmila’s hometown. “People in
Minnesota are very friendly, happy
and laid-back,” he says. “The way
of life here is very peaceful. It is not
rushed. It is a lot different from
Moscow.”
Settling into a new culture, the
couple says Elite is an ideal place
for them. The club, which was
founded in 2006 by the Balakirev
family from Russia, offers modern
facilities, new equipment and pro-
grams for competitive and recre-
ational gymnasts.