Alina Makarenko

Alina Andreevna Makarenko (Russian: Алина Андреевна Макаренко; born 14 January 1995) is a Russian group rhythmic gymnast. She is the 2012 Olympics Group All-around champion, the 2011 World Group All-around silver medalist, 2012 European Group All-around gold medalist and 2010 Youth Olympic Games Group All-around champion.

Alina Makarenko
Makarenko (left) at the 3 Ribbons + 2 Hoops final in 2012 Summer Olympics
Personal information
Full name	Alina Andreevna Makarenko
Country represented	Russia
Born	14 January 1995 Elista, Kalmykia, Russia
Discipline	Rhythmic gymnastics
Head coach(es)	Irina Viner
Assistant coach(es)	Anna Shumilova
Former coach(es)	Tatiana Sergaeva & Inna Bystrova
Retired	2013
Medal record Representing  Russia Group Rhythmic Gymnastics Olympic Games 2012 London Group All-around World Championships 2011 Montpellier 5 Balls 2011 Montpellier Group All-around European Championships 2012 N.Novgorod Group All-around 2012 N.Novgorod 5 Balls Youth Olympic Games 2010 Singapore Group All-around

Career

(L-R) Ksenia Dudkina, Alina Makarenko, Anastasia Nazarenko, Uliana Donskova and Anastasia Bliznyuk in 5 Balls final at the 2012 Summer Olympics

As a junior, Makarenko competed as an individual gymnast but switched to competing in the Russian Group under Russian Head Coach Irina Viner. She and the Russian Junior Group won the gold medal at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games. She was again part of the group that competed at the 2011 World Championships.

Makarenko was a member of the Russian Group that competed at the 2011 World Championships. She was part of the gold medal winning Russian Group at the 2012 European Championships and at the World Cup Final in Minsk. She won a gold medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics in the group all-around event together with other group members (Uliana Donskova, Anastasia Bliznyuk, Ksenia Dudkina, Anastasia Nazarenko, Karolina Sevastyanova).[1]

For six months leading up to the Olympic Games, the Russian gymnasts only ate buckwheat in their diet.[2]

Makarenko and the rest of the Russian Group returned to competition at the 2013 Moscow Grand Prix where they won the all-around, at the Thiais Grand Prix they also won the all-around gold medal as well as in the event finals. They competed at their first World Cup competition of the season in Lisboa, Portugal where they won bronze in all-around and won the gold medal in 10 clubs and 2 ribbons/3 balls final. She suffered a knee injury and was temporarily replaced by Diana Borisova in the Russian Group.

Struggling with injuries, Makarenko finally retired from competitive gymnastics.

Detailed Olympic results

Year	Competition Description	Location	Music [3]	Apparatus	Rank	Score-Final	Rank	Score-Qualifying
2012	Olympics	London		All-around	1st	57.000	1st	56.375
			Giselle by Adolphe Adams	5 Balls	1st	28.700	1st	28.375
			( Knock on Wood / Tough Lover / At Last / Oye ) by Safri Duo / Christina Aguilera / Kenny G / Gloria Estefan	3 Ribbons / 2 Hoops	1st	28.300	1st	28.000

References

1. "Russia take Group gold". London2012.com. August 12, 2012. Archived from the original on August 23, 2012. Retrieved August 12, 2012.
2. Рассказова, И. (August 21, 2012). Олимпийская чемпионка Анастасия Близнюк: Вечером после победы в Лондоне ужинали… пять раз!. Sovetsky Sport (in Russian).
3. "Russia Group RG music list". rgforum.

External links

• Alina Makarenko on Twitter
• Alina Makarenko at the International Gymnastics Federation