| Natalia Ilienko | |
|---|---|
 Ilienko at the 1981 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships | |
|
Country represented |
|
|
Born |
March 26 1967 |
|
Club |
Dinamo Moscow |
|
Current status |
Retired |
Natalia Ilienko (Russian/ Kazakh: Наталья Ильенко) is a Soviet gymnast born March 26, 1967 in Alma Ata, Kazakh SSR. Ilienko was known for delivering vivid performances on floor where she demonstrated outstanding plasticity, choreography and showmanship. Her biggest accomplishment was becoming world floor champion in 1981.
Career[]
Natalia competed at the 1980 Junior European Championships, finishing 6th all around and the 1981 European Championships, finishing 4th all around, before being selected for the world championships team in 1981. Although she only finished 10th All Around at the Soviet Championships, her first and second place finishes on beam at the Soviet and European Championships allowed her to make the team. She qualified 6th to the all around finals, but was not allowed to compete because five of her teammates had qualified ahead of her.
Natalia was selected for both the 1983 World Championships team and the 1984 Olympic Team. When the Soviet Union boycotted the 1984 Olympics, she competed at the alternate games Friendship Games in Olomouc. Her performances in the team competition left her out of the all around as the fourth Soviet gymnast.
Medal Count[]
| Year | Event | TF | AA | VT | UB | BB | FX |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Chunichi Cup | 3rd | |||||
| 1980 | Junior European Championships | 6 | |||||
| USSR Championships | 1st | 7 | 6 | 1st | 4 | 4 | |
| 1981 | Madrid European Championships | 4 | 2nd | ||||
| USSR Championships | 10 | 1st | 5 | ||||
| Moscow World Championships | 1st | 1st | |||||
| Moscow News | 2nd | 2nd | 2nd | 1st | 3rd | ||
| 1983 | USSR Championships | 2nd | |||||
| Riga International | 4 | 1st | |||||
| 1984 | Olomouc Friendship Games | 1st | |||||
| USSR Cup | 5 | 1st | |||||
| USSR Championships | 1st |
Floor Music[]
1981-1982, 1984 - "La Cenerentola Ouverture" by Charlie Mills and his Orchestra