Elena Gómez Servera (born November 14, 1985, in Manacor, Majorca, Spain) is a Spanish former artistic gymnast. Her best event was floor exercise. She is one of the best gymnasts that Spain has had in the history of this sport, being the only one to get a gold medal in a world championship.[1]

Elena Gómez
Gómez in 2004
Personal information
Full nameElena Gómez Servera
Country represented Spain
Born (1985-11-14) November 14, 1985 (age 39)
Manacor, Majorca, Spain
Height150 cm (4 ft 11 in)
Weight40 kg (88 lb)
DisciplineWomen's artistic gymnastics
LevelSenior International Elite
ClubOlympic COR
Head coach(es)Jesus Carballo
Assistant coach(es)Eva Lucia Almudena
ChoreographerFuensanta Ross
Eponymous skillsGomez (floor exercise)
Retired2006
Medal record
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2002 Debrecen Floor Exercise
Bronze medal – third place 2003 Anaheim Floor Exercise
European Championships
Silver medal – second place 2004 Amsterdam Floor Exercise
Mediterranean Games
Gold medal – first place 2001 Tunis Team
Gold medal – first place 2001 Tunis Floor exercise
Bronze medal – third place 2001 Tunis All-around
Gómez in 2003

Career

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Junior career

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At the 2000 Junior European Championships, Gomez placed 6th in both the team final and the individual all-around final.

Senior career

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Gomez made her senior debut in 2001. At the 2001 World Championships in Ghent, Belgium, Gomez and the Spanish team placed 4th in the team final. Individually, Gomez placed 17th in the all-around final and 6th in the balance beam final.

Gomez attended the 2002 European Championships. Here she placed 7th in the all-around, 6th on vault, 8th on balance beam and 4th on floor exercise. Later that year at the 2002 World Championships in Debrecen, Hungary Gomez won the floor exercise final. Gomez was the first-ever Spanish female gymnast to win a World title in Women's Artistic Gymnastics.[2]

The following year, Gomez attended the 2003 World Championships in Anaheim, California. Here, the Spanish team placed 5th, therefore qualifying a full team to the 2004 Summer Olympics. She won bronze the medal in floor exercise the following year in Anaheim using the same routine with the score of 9.675. Additionally, Gomez placed 5th in both the all-around final and the balance beam final.

In 2004 Gomez competed at the 2004 European Championships. Here, the Spanish team placed 4th. Individually, Gomez placed 5th in the all-around, and won a silver medal on the floor exercise. Gomez was named to the Spanish team for the 2004 Summer Olympics where she placed 8th in the all-around.[3] The Spanish team placed fifth.

Post-retirement and personal life

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Gómez announced that she was retiring from the sport in 2006, following injuries sustained in training.[4] She has three sisters, notably the younger: Natalia, also known as guitarist of the rock band Puja Fasua.

Eponymous skill

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Gómez has one eponymous skill listed in the Code of Points.[5]

Apparatus Name Description Difficulty[a] Added to the Code
Floor exercise Gomez 4/1 turn (1440°) on one leg - free leg optional below horizontal E 2002 World Championships
  1. ^ Valid for the 2022-2024 Code of Points

Floor music

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2001-2002: "Mozart L'Egyptien: Mawwall" by Milen Natchev & the Bulgarian Symphonic Orchestra

2002-2004: "Jump Up Boogie" by Charlie Normal and Robert Wells

2004: "Respirando" by Ana Belen

References

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  1. ^ "Entrevista con Elena Gómez". El País (in Spanish). 2006-01-16. Archived from the original on 2021-05-24. Retrieved 2021-05-24.
  2. ^ "Russians lick wounds after nightmare gym worlds". Sports Illustrated. 2002-11-25. Archived from the original on 2012-11-04. Retrieved 2011-03-28.
  3. ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Elena Gómez". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 2010-07-12. Retrieved 28 March 2011.
  4. ^ "Spain's best ever gymnast forced to retire". Think Spain. 2006-01-12. Archived from the original on 2011-07-23. Retrieved 2011-03-28.
  5. ^ "2022-2024 Code of Points Women's Artistic Gymnastics" (PDF). International Gymnastics Federation. pp. 158, 211. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 May 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2022.