Elena Ivaschenko began to play sports since childhood. She was good at sports. The young athlete also achieved success in athletics: Ivashchenko successfully competed in shot put competitions. However, in the end, Elena gave preference to judo. Elena’s life tragically ended at the very peak of her sports career.
From the biography of Elena Viktorovna Ivashchenko
The future Russian athlete was born in Omsk on December 28, 1984. Elena began to engage in sports at a young age. She enjoyed playing rugby and basketball, pushing the core. In 2001, Elena took fourth place at the World Championships in Athletics among boys and girls.
Elena tried to stay home less. Her family could not be called prosperous: her father abused alcohol, and her mother's doctors made a disappointing psychiatric diagnosis.
In high school, a friend called Lena to practice judo. The girl was seriously carried away by the struggle. Soon came the first successes, prizes and awards in competitions. Coach Viktor Ivashchenko became the adoptive father of Elena, she even took his name; her former surname is Shleise.
Sports career of Elena Ivashchenko
Elena performed in the weight category over 78 kg. In 2002, she became the world champion in sambo wrestling, held in Serbia. Three years later, she won the championship at the Russian judo championship. In this sport, Ivashchenko four times became the champion of Europe.
In 2012, Elena for the first time in her life took part in the Olympic Games in London. In the second round of the competition, Ivashchenko defeated Melissa Mokhik (Puerto Rico), but in the next match she lost to Cuban Idalis Ortiz, who eventually won the title of Olympic champion.
Some fans considered Ivashchenko’s performance at the Olympics a failure. Other admirers of her undoubted talent believed that this temporary failure would give Elena a new impetus, force her to work on herself and allow her to surpass previous achievements.
