The future gymnast was born in Moscow, in 1997, on September 30, in the family of a famous swimmer athlete, 1992 Olympic champion, Alexei Kudryavtsev and his wife Victoria. It was the father who brought up a strong and strong-willed character in the girl, and also taught her not to give in to difficulties. The little girl started doing gymnastics at the age of four, little Yana's coach was a good friend of her father, so he gladly took the girl under his wing. Initially, the baby's parents did not even dream of raising an Olympic champion, but only wanted their daughter to have the right posture and good health. However, over the years of training in Yana, the genes of her champion father obviously woke up, and she decided to continue professionally engaged in rhythmic gymnastics. Soon the girl began to show excellent results and made progress in this sport, taking prizes in various competitions. Even studying at Kudryavtseva's school had to be relegated to the background, because training in the gym took her a lot of time and energy. But such a choice turned out to be quite justified, because Yana, one after another, began to win children's, and then junior tournaments. At the age of 15, the girl set a new record, becoming the youngest absolute world champion in rhythmic gymnastics. Before her, the record belonged to another Russian woman, Alina Kabaeva, who set it at the age of 16.
Yana Kudryavtseva in childhood with her father
Personal life of Yana Kudryavtseva
For a long time, the gymnast claimed that she was sorely lacking time for her personal life due to constant training and competition. Nevertheless, in an interview, she said more than once that she simply does not represent a man next to her, far from the world of sports. It is worth noting that Yana is an active user of many popular social networks, and more than 340 thousand followers have already signed up for her Instagram profile alone.
Fans have always closely followed all the events in the life of their favorite, and by her posts and "likes" they tried to determine who Yana sympathizes with. However, the personal life of the gymnast turned out to be quite eventful, although she herself tried not to advertise her relationship with the opposite sex too much.
Yana Kudryavtseva
Yana Kudryavtseva's romance with basketball player Mikhail Kulagin
A couple of years ago it became known that the gymnast had an affair with a young basketball player, a CSKA player named Mikhail Kulagin. For a long time, the girl did not confirm this information, but did not refute it either. Once, in her VKontakte account, Yana posted a screenshot of the phone screen on which the song “This is Love” was played. She tagged Mikhail in the picture and wrote “On the same wavelength” in the comment. The athlete put a response “like” on the photo. Being at training camps and competitions, the girl did not forget about her lover, and published touching messages for him on social networks, in particular, it should be noted the picture where Yana drew the name of her boyfriend, hearts on the sand by the sea and signed: “I Love You”. Mikhail in response, literally, gave his girlfriend luxurious bouquets of roses and soft toys, and the gymnast immediately posted photos of his gifts on social networks.
Yana Kudryavtseva and Mikhail Kulagin
In an interview, Kudryavtseva said that her lover had good potential, and he would still make himself known in the world of sports. On his pages in social networks, Mikhail also posted their joint photos, where they fooled around and had fun from the heart, and in the comments he jokingly turned to his beloved Yana Alekseevna. True, the gymnast did not manage to get to the matches of her boyfriend often because of her too busy schedule. T-shirts with the name and number of the chosen one became a separate passion of the girl, in which she not only came to cheer for him, but also simply put them on for a walk, and even used them instead of a nightgown.
All friends in the comments wished the guys happiness, and noted that they are a great couple. However, not even a year had passed since the young people broke up. Yana did not comment on the end of their relationship in any way, but, literally in a day, she deleted all their joint photos and videos from social networks, and also deleted Mikhail's pages from friends. It was rumored that rumors about the infidelity of the chosen one reached Kudryavtseva, and since the gymnast was already quite jealous, she didn’t even want to figure out how true these rumors were, and simply put her boyfriend in front of the fact that they were no longer a couple .
Yana Kudryavtseva in a T-shirt with Mikhail's number
Yana Kudryavtseva's romance with football player Artur Yusupov
Less than a week after it became known about the separation of Yana and Mikhail, the girls again began to appear on Instagram photos of huge bouquets of roses and teddy bears with hearts. The followers were perplexed and suggested that the gymnast had reconciled with her ex-boyfriend. However, soon Yana herself decided to lift the veil of secrecy and admitted that she was now dating another athlete - the football player of the Zenit club Artur Yusupov.
Young people did not hide their feelings, posted romantic pictures, flew on vacation together, and Yana began to upload photos where she was dressed in a T-shirt with the number of her new lover. Friends called them "the sweet couple" and said that they complemented each other perfectly. In a comment to one of the joint pictures posted on Yana's page, the girl asked her lover to always be with her.
Yana Kudryavtseva and Artur Yusupov
However, the gymnast repeatedly complained that she and Arthur often had to part and not see each other for a long time, because of their sports careers. A couple of weeks before the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, the girl published a picture where she sits sadly on the windowsill, and wrote in the comment: “I hate that you are not around!”. By the way, the period of preparation for the Olympics was the most difficult, both physically and morally, because the lovers practically did not see each other. But, after returning from Brazil, from where Yana came not empty-handed, but with a silver Olympic medal, the couple's relationship returned to its previous course.
Arthur touchingly congratulated the chosen one on her new sporting achievement, in the comments they exchanged hearts, and romantic joint pictures again began to appear in their profiles. Fans were looking forward to when Yana and Arthur announced their engagement, but unexpectedly, instead, at the end of 2017, they announced their breakup. The gymnast again did not comment on the end of their romance in any way, and did not name the reasons for their breakup, but simply confirmed in one of the interviews that she and Arthur were no longer a couple.
Yana Kudryavtseva and Artur Yusupov
Yana Kudryavtseva's romance with hockey player Dmitry Kugryshev
Literally a couple of months after breaking up with Arthur, it became known about the gymnast's new romance. The athlete again became her chosen one, but this time the hockey player playing for the Salavat Yulaev club, Dmitry Kugryshev.
Beloved is eight years older than the gymnast, but such a difference in age does not bother them at all. Their relationship developed rapidly, and already in May of this year, the lovers flew away together to rest in the Maldives. Photos taken during their romantic trip appeared in the profiles of both young people in social networks.
It soon became known that Dmitry made a marriage proposal to his chosen one, and she accepted it. In June 2018, the gymnast posted a photo of a luxurious engagement ring on her Instagram, and wrote in a comment to it: “I love you!”.
And already on July 7 this year, less than six months after the start of their romance, the couple officially legalized their relationship. Almost immediately after this solemn event, rumors appeared that the young gymnast was expecting a child from her chosen one, and this information was soon confirmed.
Yana Kudryavtseva and Dmitry Kugryshev
Now, in her Instagram account, the girl publishes touching family photos and is looking forward to the main event in her life - the birth of her first child. At the moment, it is not yet known whether the spouses are expecting a daughter or son, and the future parents themselves want to keep the intrigue. According to Yana, her husband now literally carries her in his arms and blows off dust particles, taking care of her and their baby.
Yana Kudryavtseva now
At the end of 2016, the gymnast received a severe leg injury, followed by a long and difficult rehabilitation. In November of the same year, the head of the All-Russian Rhythmic Gymnastics Federation, Irina Viner, in an interview suggested that Yana would most likely leave the big sport, because the consequences of the injury were felt. Kudryavtseva herself replied to Wiener's words that she was not yet ready to make a final decision regarding her future sports career. However, already in 2017, Yana confirmed that she intended to finally end her career in big-time sports. After that, the gymnast began to give various master classes and arrange demonstration performances in Russia and abroad. But after leaving maternity leave, Yana plans to take up coaching, and, most likely, the girl will work with young children, whom she simply adores and easily finds a common language with them, and they reciprocate.
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Yana Alekseevna Kudryavtseva(September 30, 1997, Moscow, Russian gymnast, three-time world champion in rhythmic gymnastics 2013, three-time European champion in 2013, the youngest absolute world champion in the history of rhythmic gymnastics.
Childhood
Yana is the daughter of the famous swimmer, 1992 Olympic champion Alexei Kudryavtsev, and his wife Victoria.
Kudryavtseva's sports career started in 2008: she won national junior tournaments, including the Russian junior championship in 2009 in Dmitrov, in 2011 in Samara and in 2012 in Kazan.
Yana began performing at international competitions in the 2011 season. She won the Junior World Cup in 2011. In 2012, at the European Championships, she became the junior champion in the ball exercise, and also won gold in the team all-around along with Yulia Sinitsyna, Alexandra Soldatova and Diana Borisova.
ascent
Kudryavtseva began performing at adult competitions in 2013 at the international senior tournament, held as part of the Grand Prix stage in Moscow, and also at the next stage in Holon, where she won the all-around, clubs and ball exercises and bronze in the exercise with hoop.
She then took part in the World Cup stage in Sofia, where she took first place in the all-around and became the first gymnast to win a World Cup stage in her debut season, ahead of Bulgarian Silvia Miteva and teammate Margarita Mamun. She also won the hoop and clubs event and won bronze in the ribbon event. At the World Cup stage in Minsk, Yana won the second consecutive gold medal in the all-around, as well as gold in ball exercises and silver in clubs exercises.
At the European Championships in Vienna in 2013, she replaced Alexandra Merkulova and, together with her teammates, Margarita Mamun and Daria Svatkovskaya, won the gold medal in the team all-around. In the finals of individual events, she excelled in exercises with the ball (the first of all athletes to receive a total of 19 points under the new judging system) and clubs. Yana became the youngest European champion, as did Alina Kabaeva, who also won her first European Championship at the age of 15.
The first World Cup final was held for Yana in St. Petersburg in 2013, where she won bronze in the all-around, as well as a gold medal in ball exercises and a silver medal in ribbon and clubs exercises.
In August 2013, Yana made her debut at the World Championships in Kyiv. During the qualification in the exercises with the tape, as a result of technical failures, the music was repeatedly interrupted, and Yana had to perform again, which did not prevent her from becoming the first in this event with a score of 18.516. In addition, Kudryavtseva won the gold medal in the clubs exercise, sharing this award with her compatriot Margarita Mamun, and became the silver medalist in the ball and hoop exercises. In the final of the individual all-around, Yana won gold, beating the Ukrainian gymnast Anna Rizatdinova and Melitina Stanyuta from Belarus and thus becoming the youngest absolute world champion at 15 years old.
Records
The youngest gymnast who became the absolute world champion (at the age of 15). The record was previously held by Alina Kabaeva (Russia) and Elena Karpukhina (USSR), who won the all-around at age 16.
First gymnast to win the individual all-around in her debut season.
Programs
| Year | Item | Music |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Ball | Nocturne No. 2 Op. 9 in E Flat Major by Chopin |
| Hoop | "One, two, I love you" Nadezhda Babkina | |
| Maces | "Vendetta Sciliana", "The Mill" by Angelo Petisi Orchestra and Tarantella | |
| Ribbon (second) | Padam Padam by Mireille Mathieu | |
| Ribbon (first) | La Foule by Edith Piaf | |
| 2012 | Ball | "Ding-ding-ding" Oleg Pogudin |
| Hoop | ? | |
| Maces | ? | |
| Ribbon | This Is Halloween music from The Nightmare Before Christmas by Danny Elfman | |
| 2011 | Ball | Kuckucksjodler by Mondscheintrio |
| Hoop | ||
| Maces | ? | |
| Ribbon | "Gopak" from the ballet "Gayane" Aram Khachaturian | |
| 2010 | Ball | The Yodel Song |
| Hoop | Tarantella Napoletana - The Godfather Players | |
| Maces | Russian traditional | |
| jump rope | ? |
Sports achivments
Team championship among adults is held only at the European Championships, World Championships and some international competitions.
| Senior | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Tournament | all-around | Command | Ball | Ribbon | Hoop | Maces | |
| 2013 | AEON Cup | 1 | 1 | |||||
| World Championship: Kyiv | 1 | NT | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | ||
| World Cup Final: St. Petersburg | 3 | 1 | 2 | 10 (Q) | 2 | |||
| European Championship: Vienna | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | ||||
| World Cup: Minsk | 1 | 1 | 2 | 12 (Q) | 2 | |||
| World Cup: Sofia | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | |||
| Kalamata Cup | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | |||
| Grand Prix: Holon | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | |||
| Grand Prix: Moscow | 2 | |||||||
| Junior | ||||||||
| Year | Tournament | all-around | Command | Ball | Ribbon | Hoop | Maces | |
| 2012 | European Championship: Nizhny Novgorod | 1 | 1 | |||||
| World Cup: Kyiv | 1 | 1 | ||||||
| World Cup: Pesaro | 1 | 1 | ||||||
| Grand Prix: Moscow | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| 2011 | World Cup: Pesaro | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Grand Prix: Moscow | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| Q = Did not qualify. Only the top 8 advance to the final NT = No team competition |
||||||||
Yana Kudryavtseva is a Russian gymnast. Silver medalist of the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Thirteen-time world champion in rhythmic gymnastics (2013, 2014, 2015), multiple European champion (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016). Four-time champion of the I European Games in rhythmic gymnastics. 
The youngest absolute world champion in the history of rhythmic gymnastics.
Yana is the daughter of the famous swimmer, 1992 Olympic champion Alexei Kudryavtsev, and his wife Victoria.
Kudryavtseva's sports career started in 2008: she won national junior tournaments, including the Russian junior championship in 2009 in Dmitrov, in 2011 in Samara and in 2012 in Kazan. 
Yana began performing at international competitions in the 2011 season. In Moscow, at the international junior tournament, which was held in parallel with the Grand Prix stage, she became the first in the team with Dina and Arina Averina, as well as in exercises with a hoop and clubs. She won the Junior World Cup in Pesaro. In 2012, at the European Championships, she became the junior champion in the ball exercise, and also won gold in the team all-around along with Yulia Sinitsyna, Alexandra Soldatova and Diana Borisova. Student of the Department of Theory and Methods of Gymnastics at the University named after P.F. Lesgaft St. Petersburg. 
Kudryavtseva began performing at adult competitions in 2013 at the international senior tournament, held as part of the Grand Prix stage in Moscow, and also at the next stage in Holon, where she won the all-around, clubs and ball exercises and bronze in the exercise with hoop.
She then took part in the World Cup in Sofia, where she took first place in the all-around and became the first gymnast to win a World Cup in her debut season, leaving Bulgarian Silvia Miteva and teammate Margarita Mamun behind. She also won the hoop and clubs event and won bronze in the ribbon event. At the World Cup stage in Minsk, Yana won a second consecutive gold medal in the all-around, as well as "gold" in the ball exercise and "silver" in the clubs and ribbon exercises. 
At the European Championships in Vienna, she replaced Alexandra Merkulova and, together with her teammates, Margarita Mamun and Daria Svatkovskaya, won the gold medal in the team all-around. In the finals of individual events, she excelled in exercises with the ball (the first of all athletes to receive a total of 19 points under the new judging system) and clubs. Yana became the youngest European champion, just like Alina Kabaeva, who also won her first European Championship at the age of 15. 
In August of the same year, Yana made her debut at the World Championships in Kyiv. During the qualification in the ribbon exercise, the music was repeatedly interrupted due to technical failures, and Yana had to perform again, which did not prevent her from becoming the first in this event with a score of 18.516. In addition, Kudryavtseva won the gold medal in the clubs exercise, sharing this award with her compatriot Margarita Mamun, and became the silver medalist in the ball and hoop exercises. In the finals of the individual all-around, Yana won gold, beating the Ukrainian gymnast Anna Rizatdinova and Melitina Stanyuta from Belarus and becoming the youngest absolute world champion at the age of 15. 
Yana won 5 gold medals at the 2014 World Championships in Stuttgart with a broken foot.
It all started with the World Cup stage, which took place in Kazan at the end of August. Speaking at these competitions, I realized that I had injured my ankle. But the injury was familiar. As terrible as it sounds, we are used to doing our work through pain, sweat, and often blood. Therefore, after examination by doctors who established an inflammatory process in the growth zone, no fracture was found, although the pain was severe. I had the choice to compete at the World Championships in Stuttgart or not. I made a natural choice for myself - that is, I performed. My leg hurt, but I passed all the tests on painkillers and fixing tape.
In other sports, winning one World Championship gold medal while being in the best shape in life is considered a feat. You took gold 5 times in Stuttgart - with an injury in which it is difficult to simply walk, and you had to jump and stand on your toes. Where does this will and fortitude come from?
I think best of all, my dad, the Barcelona Olympic swimming champion Alexei Kudryavtsev, can answer it. It was he who invested himself in my implementation in sports. Mom also does a lot to support me, surrounding me with love and care, but my father is an example of an iron character, subordinate to the main life goal. His example is my guide in life. And, of course, the character is formed by the team that works with me, and this is my personal trainer Karpushenko Elena Lvovna, choreographers, doctors and all those who help me achieve good results in sports. 
Could you refuse to compete at the World Championships and save your leg for future starts, primarily for the Olympic Games in Rio?
In the current situation - definitely not! First, the degree of risk of serious injury was not obvious. Secondly, licenses for participation in the Olympic Games were played in Stuttgart. I had to get the opportunity to perform there so as not to let down those who believe in me. This is not only family and friends, coaches and friends on the national team, but also a huge number of ordinary fans - lovers of rhythmic gymnastics. And most importantly, it is very important for me to do everything in my power to assert the greatness of Russia! And I can do this only honestly and with full dedication doing my work on the gymnastic carpet. This works best for me. 
- Yana, could you tell us more about the injury and its consequences?
Of course, especially since there is nothing secret about it. After the end of the World Cup and returning home, she immediately fell into the hands of doctors. I was examined by surgeons, they did CT and MRI. As a result, the light saw the following diagnosis: a fracture of the 14th part of the navicular bone of the left foot. He meant an urgent operation, because simply, of course, nothing will go away and stick together.
Thanks to the president of the All-Russian Federation of Rhythmic Gynastics and our head coach Irina Alexandrovna Viner for immediately offering help and a clinic in Germany. Wasting no time, my dad and I went there for an examination, but it turned out that the operation that they offered me to do there would require a very long recovery period. It could jeopardize my performance at the Olympics. We were very confused, but luck smiled at us, my father's friends-athletes advised a clinic in Munich, where the most famous stars of world sports were operated on: hockey players, football players and even representatives of rhythmic gymnastics. It was there, on the day of my 18th birthday, that I ended up, however, not at the festive table, but on the operating table. In general, the birthday was a success: the operation was successful and after 6 weeks I will be able to start training. I especially want to thank the doctor of our team Andrey Abramov, who was constantly with me for examinations and operations, helped me a lot. 
- Why was the operation performed in Germany and not in Russia?
I am sure that in Russia there are specialists who can make it no worse than there. But here's the paradox, we don't know about them or know less than about doctors in Germany. Here after all recommendations and experience of the help in similar cases are very important. Therefore, Germany is a good but random choice dictated by circumstances.
- How can this forced downtime in the training process affect the preparation for the Olympic Games?
Yes, it is very important to start full-fledged training as soon as possible. But for now, I can only do exercises that do not hurt the sore leg. 2 weeks after the operation, my stitches will be removed and I will be able to swim in the pool, and after 6 weeks my orthopedic boot will be removed and then I will begin to restore my physical shape. In this regard, we are very concerned about the preparation of a new program. But through this excitement, dad's confidence comes through that the coach and I will do everything possible so as not to disappoint amateurs and specialists in rhythmic gymnastics. In general, it seems that this story with a fracture motivated me and gave me even more internal strength for future training. 
You say that the injury motivated you in terms of sports. In general, did the situation when you, “Lady Perfection”, as journalists often call you, are forced to move around on crutches, influenced you?
You know, limited opportunities, when only yesterday I was subject to any movement from an arsenal inaccessible to many, and today dad carries me in his arms to the fifth floor of our Khrushchev house, makes me think a lot. Think about what was previously perceived as a given, and now as a reward from the Lord, which must be protected and for which we must be grateful. And I also think that not every girl on crutches has such a powerful dad who can lift and carry her to the fifth floor in a building without an elevator. That not every disabled person has the opportunity, having paid for a taxi, to comfortably get from point "A" to point "B". And many other things about people with disabilities suddenly became clearer to me. I am sure that now I will not be able to pass by without noticing someone else's pain, how often a blind person in his healthy happiness can pass.
- And how do you use the forced respite in training?
I will try to read more, study English and save up the desire to train. There will be time to connect with friends and family. You can breathe in the autumn air, take a walk in the park with your sister. I am sure that this unexpected stop on the way of my preparation for the Rio Games is not an obstacle, but a springboard to new victories! 
Records
The youngest gymnast who became the absolute world champion (at the age of 15). The record was previously held by Alina Kabaeva (Russia) and Elena Karpukhina (USSR), who won the all-around at age 16.
First gymnast to win the individual all-around in her debut season.
The first of the gymnasts, who received 19 points according to the new 20-point judging system (European Championship 2013).
Record holder of the 1st European Games in Baku in terms of the number of gold medals 
For four years, Yana was the undisputed leader of rhythmic gymnastics, and therefore went to Rio de Janeiro as a favorite. An unfortunate mistake in the exercise with maces nullified all her efforts, although in the remaining three exercises Kudryavtseva received the highest marks. . 
- Are you more happy with silver or upset that you didn't reach gold?
- I'm glad for the silver and the fact that it's over. Of course, there is a disorder, but we will be content with what we have, because this could not have happened. Considering how the year went, what injuries I had, this Olympics might not have happened. Therefore, I am glad and a silver medal.
- What happened to your maces?
- By the end of the speech, the forces were already running out. I threw them badly and didn’t have time to realize that they didn’t fly well. That is, I could have done something, but I did not have time. 
- Is this mistake related to the fact that this is your debut Olympics?
- I don't think. All the mistakes that were due to the fact that we are performing for the first time happened the day before. I was even a little ashamed of my performance, but the coaches reassured me, saying that this was only the first day and only the beginning, and today it would be better. We tested the hall, and today it was much calmer. I think that this is my personal mistake, and not because of the debut.
- How do you like the platform, atypical for rhythmic gymnastics, here?
- Thanks to Irina Alexandrovna Viner, we began to prepare for the platform in advance. For two months it stood with us in Novogorsk, and now there was also a platform at the final training camp, so we are quite used to it. Thank you so much for this, because without it it would be hard to perform. 
- Before the last exercise, did you manage to throw out negative emotions?
- I managed to cry a little after the clubs, to say that I won’t go anywhere else, to show my character. But, after talking with the coach, she gathered herself, went out and was able to calmly speak. The coach told me to calm down, explained that we are no longer fighting for the gold medal, but we must hold on and let go of all emotions. I acted calmly and relaxed.
- Compared to the qualification, did you complicate the program?
- Not. We cannot change the program during the competition.
- Did you have a mindset that it doesn't matter who wins, who comes second, the main thing is that Russia has gold?
- I say from the bottom of my heart that I am extremely happy with this medal, this silver is gold for me. After all, I could not get here at all. Insanely happy for Margarita Mamun. It's unfortunate that it didn't work out as expected, but still glad. 
Are you already thinking about the next Olympics?
- I'm not going to make any plans yet, I'll have a rest. God forbid, I will make it to the next Games and perform at them. I'm 19, so I have time to think.
- Why did you have problems with the hoop in qualifying?
It's hard for me to do it usually. Firstly, it is always difficult to start with a hoop, but in the finals she coped well with it.
- They say you have a talisman dog that stayed at home. Maybe you didn't have enough support?
- He never went to competitions with us, so he always waits for us at home. At first he lived in Novogorsk, where we train, and now with my mother.
- The absence of Irina Viner at the Olympics does not create problems for you?
- No, because Irina Alexandrovna was always in touch, after each type of program. We trained, we were recorded on video, then she analyzed all the mistakes and made adjustments. You could say she was in complete control of the whole process. 
Despite the joy and for her friend, and for the country, Yana, of course, was still upset. In the evening after the competition, she wrote a post for her fans: “It happens in sports, you go to the goal all your life, you don’t go to kindergarten and school, you don’t go out with friends in the evening, you don’t see loved ones, you disappear in training, at competitions , you try because you know that behind you are people who love you, a whole country, the Motherland, and you do everything not to let them down, to please, to be the first Friends, girlfriends, fans, relatives, coaches - forgive me if not lived up to your expectations, but I fought to the end, I tried, honestly, it hurt me, it was hard for me, sometimes lonely, but I went forward, forward for you.This silver with my tears, with my smile, with your applause - shines I want to say thanks to Elena Lvovna, who raised a vice-Olympic champion from a little monkey, and, of course, many thanks, unlimited respect to our common "mother" Irina Alexandrovna Viner-Usmanova for seeing the talent in me, put all my heart and soul in me and gave me a chance to become unique. I love you all. And, of course, thanks to my parents! Mom, Dad, I love you."
Personal life:(excerpt from an interview for Championship.com)
“There isn’t enough time for her right now.
- Recently, gymnasts most often meet with hockey players ...
- I don't know what to say. I do not represent a non-athlete as my young man. First, the lifestyle should be similar. Secondly, he can understand, support, find some right word more. I did not communicate with people who are not connected with the world of sports, and it seems that I cannot.
A photo on Instagram with Zenit midfielder Artur Yusupov resonated. Is there something between you?
- (Smiling). We are fine. 
Earlier in 2014, Artur dated another Russian gymnast Karolina Sevastyanova.
It is known that Yana is friends with figure skater Elena Ilinykh 
Photo from instagram:
The world champion talks about the failure in Rio, her life after the 2016 Games and why she decided to end her career in the winter
H world champion Yana Kudryavtseva was the favorite of the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in the individual all-around. Despite the foot injury and the operation that she underwent a year before the Games, no one doubted her victory - neither relatives, nor fans, nor coaches. The athlete herself also expected gold from herself. But the story was written differently: in the mace exercise, Kudryavtseva made a loss, and her friend and rival performed her programs without errors and bypassed Yana. Kudryavtseva won silver, and after a few more months she decided to leave the big sport.
- At what point did you realize that you were finishing?
Everything was some kind of differences: I finish - I don’t finish. Before the Olympics, when we worked at the training camp in Sao Paulo, I thought that I would finish one hundred percent, because it was very difficult. And my legs hurt, and mentally it was very difficult. After my performance at the Games, I decided that I would stay - since I am the second, I need gold ... They gave me the opportunity to rest as much as I wanted, they said - even though you will rest for a year, we are waiting for you, come back. But even in ordinary life, the legs continued to hurt and react to the weather. After the New Year, I realized for sure that everything. The bench in the national team is large, you can’t jump over anyone there.
- That is, you were not cunning when you said in Rio that there were thoughts of performing in Tokyo 2020?
After the Olympics, Rita and I chatted, I said: "Well, for one more?" Rita on emotions said: "No!" And I will stay. And then I made another decision.
- Was it difficult to decide?
It is difficult, perhaps, to realize that everything. Until now, when I watch the video, I miss it ... But I wanted to try a new life. Now everything is more or less settled down, there is something to do.
Have you adjusted to your new life?
I have to graduate from college - next year. I am studying to be a coach. And then I will think. I would like to become a TV presenter. I am more drawn in this direction than in the direction of a coaching career. But these are thoughts, seriously, I have not thought about it yet.
WITHOUT TRAINING, BUT AGAIN IN GYMNASTICS
- Trained this year?
I went to the gym a couple of times. But apparently I'm so tired of it that I just can't. When I conduct master classes, of course, I work for eight hours at full strength, but in such a way as to fully train, this was not the case. Such light things as twine do not go away quickly - I think I will sit down for a long time without any problems. But now I can’t master the jump - my legs are already relaxed. I'll jump and break something. But it can be returned if you want.
- After the master classes, did you understand that you would not go to the coaches?
I immediately realized that I was not ready to devote my whole life to this. Because with us, every coach forgets about his own children and sits in the gym all day. I think it's very hard. Maybe when the time comes and I'm older, it will be interesting to me.
- And something close to gymnastics? For example, to become a choreographer?
I don't have any experience yet. It is necessary to learn from very young children, to draw up programs for them to begin with. I was told that I have the makings, so let's wait and see.
FEAR OF PLANES AND FIGURE AFTER SPORTS
- What was the most memorable this year?
Twice I managed to fully fly to rest. I didn't have to get up and exercise. For the first two months after the Olympics, she simply lay, slept like a lazy seal, rested from everything and ate. I was this big (raises hands)! And then, as she had already begun to wander to Moscow - at that time she lived in St. Petersburg - all sorts of events began. For the first two months, I hardly answered the phone. And then it got boring, I had to do something. My year hasn't been very busy.
- Did you manage to do something special?
But there were no thrills, I didn’t jump with a parachute - I’m afraid of all this. I'm afraid to fly on an airplane! And if I take a chance with a parachute, it seems that my heart will stop.
- How did you fly all this time in numerous competitions and training camps?
Terrible! It’s not always scary, but when we take off, if it shakes a little, I have a panic, I’m very afraid. When I finished with the sport, it became better. But all the same - if you need somewhere close, it's better to go by train.
- Do you have to fly to Rostov, where your young man is playing now?
Long away. I specifically looked, the fastest train is 15 hours. I think not, it's better to wait an hour for the plane.
- Do you follow football?
Yes, I'm watching. In general, I like team sports, if possible, I always watch. I often have football turned on, even if there is an interesting program on another channel. I started to understand a little, but I'm not an ardent fan and not a couch critic.
- Do you go to matches?
Yes, I was often at the games when I lived in St. Petersburg. I even flew to Kazan for the Super Cup.
- Where did you go on vacation?
We flew to Monaco. I had never rested anywhere before. If only with parents. But in the morning - for a run, at nine in the evening - to sleep. The regime was even on vacation. Yes, and you don’t eat too much, you sit on the plane all wrapped up so that it doesn’t blow. And here you could relax - and eat, and swim, and walk all night.
- What was the most difficult of the sports restrictions?
In general, it was not easy. And that we rarely see my parents, although I was lucky - I have them in Moscow, but there was no time even on weekends. And we wanted to eat more than we ate. Although I didn’t limit myself much in food, it also happened that I could starve one day in order to eat a burger the next. They never forbade me sweets, they said: the main thing is to get on the scales and so much. And how to achieve this is your problem. If they would see me with a chocolate bar, they would not scold me. The coach sometimes brought me chocolates herself. They were worried not because of the figure, but because I had problems with my leg - every three hundred grams had a noticeable effect.
- Are you really eating more? Outwardly, it seems that even right now in a swimsuit and on a carpet.
When I just finished, I gained eight kilograms in three months. But I really was very plump, really! I couldn't look at myself in the mirror - it was uncomfortable. And now it has started to go away on its own, I don’t know what it depends on. Now I eat like normal people, however, I don’t really like sweets.
WEDDING MAMUN
- Last week, Margarita Mamun and Alexander Sukhorukov got married ...
Yes, the celebration was very beautiful. Before that, I was at the wedding of my parents (they signed when I was five years old), and also at. I love Rita and Sasha very much and their spiritual union, sincere.
- Was the program big?
I left quite early, at ten o'clock, because early in the morning there was a flight to Krasnodar - I was flying to a master class. The first dance was very touching. Compared to the wedding of Zhenya Kanaeva, there were not so many guests - about a hundred people. The closest people gathered, mainly, of course, swimmers and gymnasts. Rita had two dresses: one with long sleeves, the other with short sleeves. Everything was super nice!
- What did you give?
Oil painting - the artist painted Rita and Sasha. Black and white, her style.
- Do you often manage to communicate with Rita?
Less often, of course, than before, but we still try to keep in touch. We are on very good terms, we communicate as much as possible.
- Do you communicate with your personal trainer Elena Karpushenko?
Sure, but much less. How many years we spent together - in the end, it seems to me, we got tired of each other. But I visited Wings of the Soviets a couple of times, where she trains, raises new stars.
HEAVY CHARACTER AND FATHER
- Was there any sediment left after the Olympics that silver came out instead of gold?
I'm really glad I got there. No one can imagine how hard it was to prepare and not know until the very end whether you will go there or not. The leg hurts, everyone is training, and you can’t even stand on your half-finger - what kind of Olympics? When I dropped my mace in Rio ... I thought that I wouldn’t go out for the last event at all. Elena Lvovna says: "Are you out of your mind?" I don't, that's all. But still, then I got together ... The first two days after the competition, I constantly thought about it. And now I understand that it's cool that I even got there with such an injury and with such a character. I have a very difficult character. And I have a silver medal! When I went to the tape, I thought to myself: "Now I will drop the tape, and in general I will not be in the top three." It was hard... And now I'm even reviewing the video where I drop this mace. And nothing.
- Really heavy character?
Well, in training is very hard! I can not only argue with the coach, but also give myself a task. But it was already from the age of 17 - 18, my own "I" appeared. I can't imagine how Elena Lvovna worked with me, how she didn't kill me.
- Isn't it like that in life?
With girlfriends and parents, everything is fine, but with a young man, of course, it’s hard. I can’t readjust right after the sport. Sometimes - as if there were two men in the family. In some moments, you can't argue with me! Everyone is already giving up: okay, let it be your way. Such is the character.
- Is your father - an Olympic swimming champion - strict?
Strict. He and I are both stubborn. And my mother is different, we are like friends.
- How did your parents meet you after the Olympics? Dad did not say: daughter, I was waiting for gold?
Everyone was waiting, there was no need to even talk about it - and so it was clear. But after the Olympics, when I called my father, he said: "You did everything you could, well done." Normally supported. Although I thought it would be worse, I thought that I would not be allowed to go home after the Olympics with a silver medal. But they were well received.
- With whomever you talk from the world of rhythmic gymnastics - everyone talks about the role Irina Viner-Usmanova played in their life.
We thank Irina Alexandrovna for every word, we take everyone seriously. Her words spurred on - everything was said on time and to the point. She knows how to do it very well.
Was there a key moment?
I remember, at the first World Championships in Kyiv, when I did the last look, I didn’t know which one I was going to. There was such a girl out of this world, lost, these were the first big competitions. And I didn't know that Rita had dropped it. I couldn't even believe that I could win. And the last ones I had were maces. Irina Alexandrovna came up and said: "Come on, Kudryavtseva, all of Russia is behind you. If you drop it, they will forget you forever." I thought then: I’m small, I’m 15 years old - what kind of Russia is after me? But it spurred me on. Everything was always on point and on time.
- Once Laysan Utyasheva said in an interview that the world of rhythmic gymnastics is like a jungle. Agree?
The jungle is in principle suitable, but somehow I never thought about it. I didn’t have anyone, somehow I was all the time aloof from all this - I lived alone or with Rita Mamun, I didn’t touch anyone. Women's team is always difficult. But there has never been such a thing that someone cut each other's swimsuits or got into a fight. The worst thing is that they can whisper behind your back.
Looking at rhythmic gymnastics from the side, it seems that you athletes live under constant pressure - there are no places other than the first. How do you deal with it?
I never had the thought: "I am the second - that's it, the end of life." So you will go crazy, because the competitions take place every week. Many do not believe, but for me it was really the main thing that the flag of Russia was in the first place. If it doesn't exist, everyone will.
- It will be bad for everyone - how is it?
In Kyiv, when the all-around was going on, we did the first kind badly - I couldn’t cope with something, and Rita dropped it. And after each species, the anthem of the country that is in the lead was played there. And then the anthem of Ukraine began to play, Irina Alexandrovna hears and understands that Anna Rizatdinova goes first ... It's just that all the volunteers fled ... But in this sense I don't give a damn: they will yell and stop. I take it easy. True, when I first got to Novogorsk, I was very afraid of Irina Alexandrovna.
THE DATA IS NOTICED BY THE WIFE OF A FATHER'S FRIEND
- How did you get to the base?
It was so long ago.. I won a medal, I think, at the national championship, and I was invited to train. Then they were selected for children's Europe. After that, I began to compete in the masters, and they told me: so what if you are the European champion, this is just in juniors. Now you have to earn your place again. I returned to train at Wings. And only after the silver medal at the Russian Championship I became the second, I was allowed to train again in Novogorsk.
- Did your parents immediately know that you would follow the path of sports?
My first coach, Ekaterina Pankova, told me how she found me. We were friends with families - her husband Dima and my dad swam together, then fate divorced them for a while. One day they met, and dad invited them to dinner at our house. And now Dima says that his wife is a rhythmic gymnastics coach. And dad says that we have a little daughter, but she swims - I had been studying for a year at that time. Ekaterina Valentinovna went into the room, looked - I have such rises, I am all so thin and with long legs. I have always been a kind of SpongeBob: no waist, no everything, just such a box and two long sticks. The coach later told how she went home all that evening and thought: something needs to be done, something will definitely come out of this girl. And for about a month they persuaded my parents to send me to gymnastics. That's how fate brought...
Are you still good at swimming?
Well, yes. I like to swim in the sea or pool.
BROKEN NOSE AND PSYCHOLOGIST FATHER
- Of all your programs that have ever been, what is your favorite?
In 2013, I really liked the ball with which I performed at the European Championships in Vienna - to the music of Chopin. From the Olympic programs - maces under the flight of a bumblebee. And from the latter there is also a hoop, under the "Horse". It’s not that I didn’t like the tape, but according to statistics, at all major competitions, my grades in this exercise were lower by about half a point. Something didn't work all the time. My “bows” were tied at competitions, and the ribbon flew out of the area, and slipped at the tip ... I generally liked to fall at competitions, I was slippery all the time. I remember when I fell on my nose...
- And that was it?
Yes. I had such a beautiful nose before, without a hump. It was right at the beginning of the exercise, I got up (I don’t know how!) And continued on. There was no blood, I don’t know if there was a fracture - but the bruises are so specific. And then I laughed, they say, Irina Alexandrovna, pay for my rhinoplasty? She replied that everything was fine with me. Then they asked me why I didn’t put my hands up in that episode. But I had a ball in my hands, I couldn't drop it! I don’t know how I got up and continued, but with the ball I became the second, and then I performed in two more events and won.
- How did you spend your free time at the training camp?
Our favorite place was - MEGA. Eat, go to the cinema or go shopping - so as not to travel far and not get tired. We walked around the base, we had segways. They played cards, invented something all the time. Elena Lvovna and I most often had training camps in Finland, where in general there is such a base that you can walk for hours. I love this country in general, probably my favorite.
- Did they take away the phones?
I have never. Well, I didn't. Group girls were always taken away, but somehow Rita and I didn’t. I communicate with my dad, he is my personal psychologist - how will I be without him?
Did you help you get set up?
Yes. I needed to hear that if I lose, it's okay. I was so calmer.
- Is your younger sister not an athlete?
No, she is far from sports. I tried to play tennis, but it didn't work. He is looking for some kind of "easy" sport, where there is less to do. Dreams of starting golf. I tease her, they say, do you know how far you have to go to the hole?
- Did you hurt?
No, I wasn't particularly interested. When we performed, grandmother was sitting in front of the icons, and Anya said: "Grandma is crying, but I don't understand why." I answer: "Anh, well, I lost, didn't you watch?" She says she looked, but she doesn't care. She is already eight years old, an adult, but still does not delve into it too much. We are generally very different - she is so active, very sociable and open.
- Does your dog, Lebrosha, common with Rita Mamun, live with his sister?
Yes, they came to me the other day - they asked me to leave the dog for a couple of days, but my mother did not want to. The dog is just perfect - if you want to play, she will play with you, but when she is tired, she will lie down somewhere.
- A dog raised in Novogorsk...
Exactly. There, it seems to me, it was hard for her - she lived in our room, sat alone while we went to training. In general, we had a lot of people there, even once a small pig - a mini-pig, one of the group members. Hamsters, rats, fish... There weren't really any dogs or cats.
DATA OR HARD WORK?
- Do you keep in touch with any active athletes?
I communicate very well with Sasha Soldatova, with Nastya Bliznyuk. Someone can write - we will chat with pleasure, but so that it is very close - with no one.
- Do you look at the base?
I came to the control training before the World Championships in Pesaro - Irina Aleksandrovna called. This is the only time. And so - too many memories, and very different ones, so I don’t look too much.
Why do you think Soldatova failed to pick up your baton this season and become the leader of the team?
Of course, everyone expected this, and, probably, this “you must, you will” turned out to be very difficult. Moreover, Sasha did not have parents who would find the right words, maybe there was no such character - I was born in such a family. Not everyone can do it, but I think she did everything she could. God bless you for the next year.
- They say that she has natural data, flexibility, just incredible.
Yes, she is very flexible. I'm not flexible, for example, but I'm a world champion. This is not the main criterion, because of which you can become a star, a lot should work out.
- Are you not flexible?
Not like Sasha. My back is still "oak". As a child, stretching, of course, was difficult. And then they stretched only for a warm-up.
- Mamun said that everything in gymnastics was given to her not by talent, but by hard work. And you?
I feel better, I think. Her data is worse, of course, and the main quality is that she is very hardworking. I'm still not like that, I can play freebies somewhere ... But I was lucky. Besides, I'm two years younger, it also affected.
- Do you consider yourself lucky?
Yes. Here, we competed at the World Championships in Stuttgart, after several subjects I was second. And then Rita drops. And so on different competitions. At the World Championships in Izmir, we went through all the events well, but I won. Rita made a mistake somewhere, gave me a chance. Lucky.
Everyone was talking about your rivalry and friendship. Really never, never had any resentment towards each other?
We never even fought! But with Rita it is simply impossible to quarrel. I'm such a super-emotional person, I can yell or do something else. And she even speaks in a whisper, she was brought up that way. You couldn't even yell at her. We have always been very close. It happened that we were sitting after the competition, and Rita was upset - that's why I'm dropping? I came up and said - let's see the video, here you lowered your hand early, here - something else. They even told each other something.
DREAM - BACK DRIVING
- Do you ride an Olympic BMW?
Right after the Games, I gave the car to my mother. In St. Petersburg I had another car, and now I have returned to Moscow and so far without a car. When my mother leaves, sometimes she leaves me a car.
What car do you want now?
In general, I like big cars, for example, Range Rover, Gelendvagen, Land Cruiser 200. I drove a racing Mercedes - this is my car, I really liked it, but the Porsche is not mine.
- Do you like to drive?
Highly! I like to sit behind the wheel and speed. I really want a car now - at least some. By the way, my birthday is coming soon (laughs).
- We'll hint. By the way, how are you going to celebrate?
Probably, first with relatives, and then with friends. I think it will be some kind of tusovskaya - karaoke, cafe, club, but definitely not at home. I have a large environment, 15-20 people. There is still time to prepare and figure out how we will celebrate my 20th birthday.
The athlete, who never made a mistake before, seems never to have made a loss in the clubs exercise that cost her the fight for gold: after the final exercise with the ribbon, Mamun became inaccessible.
Kudryavtseva told in an interview with R-Sport correspondent Elena Sobol why she is not really upset about silver and why she would like to stay until the 2020 Games in Tokyo, as well as what words the head coach of the team said to her after the Olympics Irina Viner-Usmanova and how her young man, Zenit football player Artur Yusupov supported her.
In your feelings from the silver Olympic medal, has something changed compared to what it was in Rio de Janeiro?
I think it's only gotten better. Because there were a huge number of words of support and congratulations. At home, both the state of mind and the state of health are always better.
- What is left of the Olympics more - resentment for the fact that the "wrong" medal, or, conversely, joy?
I, probably, most of all would not like to be written to me "hold on", "do not be upset." Because this medal is really a very, very good result for me. I did not even expect to get to the Games, and it was really very difficult to recover from an injury. Therefore, probably, congratulations are the best thing that can be for me now.
Probably only joy now. We flew for a long time, but in a good mood. It was fun talking to everyone. I met Yulia Efimova, we had a good conversation. We were very well received at the airport - it was insanely pleasant, I did not even expect such a large-scale meeting! Finally, I saw my relatives, my father, my little sister, my grandmother - everyone came to meet me at the airport, and my mother was with me in Rio. It was probably the most memorable.
Number one in his heart
- And yet, on that day of the final in Rio de Janeiro, you looked upset.
No ... That day I even wanted to post a photo where I was crying, but I thought that everyone would write again that I was upset or something else. Inside myself, I understand that these were not tears of resentment, sadness or sadness. It was tears of joy that it was over - and ended well enough for me! Of course, I was a little upset because of the loss in clubs... But the fact that there is silver is very good.
- Looking back, tell me, why did you allow that loss?
Probably, everything happened more due to the fact that she lost her concentration. Because I did this throw from the age of 13, from the junior age. I don't even know what could have caused this! Probably relaxed in the end, and because of this there was a loss.
"Artists" at their best: Mamun's gold and Kudryavtseva's silver in the individual all-around at the Olympic Games. PHOTO >>>
- And after that you went to the last view ...
This was probably the most difficult moment - now, with time, I already realize this. Everyone writes to me: “How did you get together like that?”, but at that moment I didn’t understand that I was like that ... And now I don’t understand how I survived it at all, because it was really very insulting at that moment. I already wanted to stay there on the floor after the clubs... It was hard. Highly...
- Is there anyone to dedicate this award to?
I always dedicate medals to my parents, my coach.
- And what did your coach Elena Karpushenko say after everything?
The same as I say - we might not even have this medal, because everyone thought that after the injury I would not recover. The injury was serious, and in fact there was very little chance that I would return. And I managed to come back and perform with dignity. Everyone can have losses, no one is immune from them.
- Do you remember the first conversation with Irina Alexandrovna after the Games?
I called her after the doping control, when I got on the bus. It was already late Moscow time, I almost woke her up. She was extremely happy! And she also said - we all have the same opinion on this matter - that this medal could not have been. That I fought with dignity, fought to the end, tried not to let me down, but it turned out the way it did. We always thank Irina Alexandrovna, we love her very much. Every day we confess our love to her. Boundless love for her, respect ... She wanted to say "thank you" - there is probably nothing more to say. Thank you for this chance, for allowing me to compete at the Olympics.
What did the young man say to you?
For loved ones, I am the best, as they always say. For me, this is probably the most important thing - this support. He wrote to me that in his heart I am the best, number one. It was a pleasure.
Performed through the pain again
- Do you want to repeat everything in Tokyo 2020 and improve the result?
Improve - yes, repeat - of course! Now it all depends on my health, how my legs will behave - we'll see.
- Do you want to resume training as soon as possible?
As long as there is no such desire, as long as I want to relax, it was a very difficult year for me. I think that before the New Year - two months for sure - I will rest. I'll probably fly somewhere on New Year's Eve. While I will be with my parents in Moscow and spend some time in St. Petersburg. You need to heal, recover psychologically and morally. My legs hurt, of course. There was no such thing that I performed without pain. Therefore, both legs and health - I will pay attention to everything.
- That is, in Rio, as in Stuttgart, you again had to perform, overcoming pain?
I took painkillers, of course, but I still felt it sometimes.
- What was the most difficult and who supported you besides coaches and parents?
There were a lot of words of support! And friends, and a young man. Of course, coaches and parents. Probably the hardest thing was recovering from an injury. It was really, really, really hard! But we managed: not I alone, but a huge number of people made efforts to do this.
- Did you believe a year ago that not everything is lost in terms of the Olympics?
She believed, of course. Never lose faith in yourself and your strengths. Of course, I had thoughts that it might not even be possible to get to Rio - we have a difficult sport in terms of the bench: it is very large, at any moment you can be replaced. There were chances, there were thoughts that this would not happen, they tried to somehow remove them.
- Elena Lvovna once said that you never wanted to "drop everything and leave", even when it was very difficult.
Quit - never. There were thoughts that it might not work out, but to quit - no.
- Is it character?
Probably, this is a huge, boundless desire to speak for their homeland, raise the flag of our country - only this moves us forward.
- You've had more than one big start behind you. What makes the Olympic Games so special?
It was the first time for me, so everything was special.
- What did you want most after the Games?
I wanted to rest. And now I also want to do what I will do now, I will recover. There are no plans where I want to go yet, but, probably, I would like to go to Dubai very much. She was there, but very small. I have never had such a relaxing holiday in my life. Only when I flew with my parents as a child, when there were no trainings yet, but it wasn’t like that. I want to have a good rest now. With what feelings I will enter the hall again - I don’t know. When I get in, I'll be sure to let you know!