Oksana Valentinovna Skaldina ( uk, Оксана Валентинівна Скалдіна; russian: Оксана Валентиновна Скалдина) is a retired Ukrainian individual

rhythmic gymnast Rhythmic gymnastics is a sport in which gymnasts perform on a floor with an apparatus: hoop, ball, clubs, ribbon. The sport combines elements of gymnastics, dance and calisthenics; gymnasts must be strong, flexible, agile, dexterous and co ...

and current coach. She is the 1992 Olympic bronze medalist and 1991 all-around world champion.

Biography

Skaldina was born on 24 May 1972 in

Zaporizhia Zaporizhzhia ( uk, Запоріжжя) or Zaporozhye (russian: Запорожье) is a city in southeast Ukraine, situated on the banks of the Dnieper River. It is the administrative centre of Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Zaporizhzhia has a populatio ...

Ukrainian SSR The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic ( uk, Украї́нська Радя́нська Соціалісти́чна Респу́бліка, ; russian: Украи́нская Сове́тская Социалисти́ческая Респ ...

, to an engineer and a kindergarten inspector. Skaldina started training in gymnastics at the age of 5 with Lyudmila Kovalik. When she moved to

Kyiv Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the seventh-most populous city in Europe. Kyi ...

, she began training at the Deryugins School with Albina and

Irina Deriugina Irina Ivanivna Deriugina ( uk, Іри́на Іва́нівна Дерю́ґіна; born 11 January 1958) is a former Soviet individual rhythmic gymnast from Ukraine and Ukrainian coach in rhythmic gymnastics. She is the only Soviet rhythmic gymn ...

. Skaldina's breakthrough came at the 1988 European Cup, where she placed fifth in the all-around and won the ball title. She shared in the Soviet silver-medal finish behind Bulgaria at the 1989 World Championships, and also claimed the all-around bronze and three golds (rope, hoop, ribbon). In 1990, she placed first at the Intervision Cup, Goodwill Games, USSR National Championships and World Cup, third at the European Championships, and became the 1991 World All-around champion. Following the break-up of the Soviet Union, Skaldina and her teammate

Olexandra Tymoshenko Alexandra Alexandrovna Timoshenko, or Olexandra Olexandrivna Tymoshenko, ( uk, Олександра Олександрівна Тимошенко; born 18 February 1972) is a former Ukrainian individual rhythmic gymnast who competed for the Soviet ...

, both coached by the Deryuginas, competed for Ukraine at the 1992 European Championships in Stuttgart. Skaldina placed fifth in the all-around and won three apparatus gold medals. At the

1992 Summer Olympics The 1992 Summer Olympics ( es, Juegos Olímpicos de Verano de 1992, ca, Jocs Olímpics d'estiu de 1992), officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad ( es, Juegos de la XXV Olimpiada, ca, Jocs de la XXV Olimpíada) and commonly known as ...

, the ex-USSR countries qualified as one Unified Team based on their results as the Soviet team the previous year. Although Russia's

Oxana Kostina Oksana Alexandrovna Kostina (russian: Оксана Александровна Костина; 15 April 1972 – 11 February 1993) was a Soviet and Russian individual rhythmic gymnast. She was the 1992 World All-around champion and 1992 Euro ...

had a better competitive season, Skaldina was named to the Olympic team along with compatriot Timoshenko. (As individual athletes not competing in team sports in Barcelona, they both competed under the Ukrainian flag.) In Barcelona, Timoshenko won the gold medal while Skaldina settled for bronze behind Spain's

Carolina Pascual Carolina Pascual Gracia (born 17 June 1976 in Orihuela, Alicante) is a former Spanish Individual Rhythmic Gymnast. She is the 1992 Olympics silver medalist and the 1993 European all-around bronze medalist. Career Pascual was doing ballet w ...

. In tears, she refused to acknowledge Pascual and shake her hand during the medal ceremony, resulting in boos from the Spanish audience. She retired after the competition.

Personal life

She was married to three-time Olympian Dmitry Svatkovsky, an Olympic gold and silver medalist in modern pentathlon. They met at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona and four years later had a daughter,

Daria Svatkovskaya Daria Dmitrievna Svatkovskaya (russian: Дарья Дмитриевна Сватковская; born 4 December 1996 in Moscow) is a retired Russian individual rhythmic gymnast. She is the 2012 Russian National All-around silver medalist. She ...

. Daria was a member of Russia's rhythmic gymnastics national team until a back injury forced her into in retirement in 2014. After retiring from competition, Skaldina moved to Svatkovsky's hometown of Moscow and began coaching. She currently coaches at

Sports School A sports school (russian: Детско-Юношеская Спортивная Школа, ДЮСШ) is a type of educational institution for children that originated in the Soviet Union. Sports schools were the basis of the powerful system of ph ...

No. 74 and is a member of Russia's national team coaching staff. She is an Honoured Master of Sport for the Soviet Union and an Honoured Coach of Russia.

Notable trainees

Lyasan Utiasheva Lyasan Albertovna Utiasheva (russian: link=no, Ляйсан Альбертовна Утяшева, ba, Ләйсән Альберт ҡыҙы Үтәшева, born 28 June 1985) is a Russian TV show host, socialite, and former individual rhythmic ...

* Ksenia Dzhalaganiya * Alexandra Skubova

Detailed Olympic results

References

External links

*
Oksana Skaldina
at r-gymnastics.com * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Skaldina, Oksana 1972 births Living people Soviet rhythmic gymnasts Ukrainian rhythmic gymnasts Deriugins Gymnasts Russian gymnastics coaches Olympic gymnasts of the Unified Team Gymnasts at the 1992 Summer Olympics Sportspeople from Zaporizhzhia Olympic medalists in gymnastics Ukrainian emigrants to Russia Honoured Masters of Sport of the USSR Honoured Coaches of Russia Medalists at the 1992 Summer Olympics Medalists at the Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships Olympic bronze medalists for the Unified Team Goodwill Games medalists in gymnastics Competitors at the 1990 Goodwill Games