Elena Mukhina, beloved gymnast, died peacefully on December 22, 2006, at 46 years old. Elena was born May 16, 1960 in Sverdlovsk, Russian Federation. She is fondly remembered at the height of her gymnastics career, having earned countless medals throughout her career, including a gold medal for the Uneven Bars at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow. Elena’s list of career accomplishments is long and includes 7 World Championships medals, a number of World Cup medals and other athletic titles. She was later inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 2002 for her illustrious career that spanned two decades. Elena was considered one of the leading pioneers of gymnastics in the Soviet Union. Elena was a respected and admired member of the athletic community, and her loss will be felt by many. She will be greatly missed.