Yekaterina Lobaznyuk

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Ekaterina Vladimirovna Lobaznyuk, born June 10, 1983, in Fergana, then part of the Uzbek SSR, is a former Russian artistic gymnast. Her family moved around during the 1990s due to unrest, eventually settling in Rubtsovsk in Siberia where she began training with coach Valery Dianov.

Lobaznyuk rose quickly, earning attention for her polished routines and a memorable floor routine to the music Hava Nagila. She had strong results in the late 1990s, including winning the all-around at the 1997 Charleroi TopGym and a good showing at the 1997 International Junior Tournament in Japan. She also helped Russia win a team medal at the 1999 World Championships.

Her peak came at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. She won three medals for Russia: silver on the balance beam, silver in the team event, and bronze on the vault. She was a key member of the team, though a few mistakes kept her from an all-around title.

In 2001 Lobaznyuk injured her knee (ACL and MCL) during the Russian Cup, underwent two surgeries, and was sidelined for a long time. She attempted a comeback in early 2002 but retired from competition that year as younger gymnasts rose.

Today, Lobaznyuk lives in Langley, British Columbia, Canada, where she coaches gymnastics with her mother, Ludmila Lobaznyuk. She is married and has a son named Alexei.