Stella Zakharova calls for unity in Ukraine

Stella Zakharova today, courtesy of her Facebook page

1980 gold medal Olympian and 1979 and 1980 World Cup all around champion Stella Zakharova has contributed to a round table of Ukrainian artists and athletes on the Ukraine crisis. Other participants are Nina Matvienko (artist) and Evgen Nischchuk (Ukrainian minister of culture). 'Let us work together to raise Ukraine', says Stella.
 
Stella says a video of athletes and artists speaking about Ukraine is in preparation.

Since retiring from big time gymnastics in 1980, Stella has married and is the mother of two children.  She is an outspoken supporter of Ukrainian gymnastics, and has her own annual international competition, the Stella Zakharova Cup, currently in its thirteenth year.  The competition regularly attracts top gymnasts and is sanctioned by the FIG, but has had to be postponed this year because of the current troubles.

Stella Zakharova on beam at the Moscow News competition in 1980 (gold all around)

Stella comes from Odessa, Ukraine, the same home town as 1992 all around Olympic champion Tatiana Gutsu.  Today, she lives in Kiev.  As a gymnast Stella was athletic and strong, producing impressive work on all apparatus and especially on floor and vault.  Her powerful tumbling was memorable and ground breaking for the era.  Stella's training is recorded in this 1978 Soviet TV documentary, 'You in Gymnastics', where you can find her practicing her floor choreography at about five minutes in, with choreographer Lidia Sokolova, and coaches Vladimir Zaglada and Gennady Korshunov.  She was a wonderful gymnast. 

Updated 8th March

Just found this 1979 floor routine by Stella which is much more expressive and intense, exactly how I remember her.  http://youtu.be/9_Kuvl4fQM4

I know that all readers of this blog will wish Stella and her Ukrainian and Russian friends all the luck in the world in finding their peace.