Anna Pavlova (gymnast)

Anna Anatolyevna Pavlova (Анна Павлова), born September 6, 1987, is a Russian artistic gymnast who was a double bronze medalist (team, vault) at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. She is known for her clean technique and balletic style.

Pavlova first emerged on the international gymnastics scene in 2000, winning a gold medal on the uneven bars at the Junior European Championships. Although she was too young to compete as a senior at the World Championships in 2001, she was allowed to participate in the Goodwill Games, where she earned a silver medal on the balance beam. In 2002, still too young to compete internationally as a senior, Anna won the Russian National Championships and picked up four medals, including team, vault and all-around gold, at the Junior European Championships.

2003, Pavlova's first year as a senior gymnast, yielded disappointing results. At the World Championships that year, the once-mighty Russian team finished only sixth. Pavlova herself did not earn an individual medal, either - although she had qualified for the individual all-around and floor finals, mistakes prevented her from medaling.

In 2004, the unlucky streak continued - Pavlova fell from the bars in the European Championships team competition, and as a result, she didn't even qualify to the all-around, which many had considered her a favorite to win. Later that year, however, Pavlova rallied. She reclaimed the Russian national title and made the Russian Olympic team.

In the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens Greece, Pavlova turned in her best performances to date. Her Russian team clawed their way back onto the medal podium, finishing third. Many feel that Pavlova's fourth-place finish in the Athens all-around was too low and that her scores were held down because she didn't have the international reputation of her compatriots. However, Pavlova came back in the event finals, earning an individual bronze medal in the vault. Again there was controversy here: some gymnastics fans have argued that she ought to have been given silver on vault and bronze on beam. The difference between Pavlova and Annia Hatch, who won silver on vault, was particularly minute.

Pavlova, who is coached by her mother Natalia, is one of the few Russian gymnasts from the 2004 Olympic Team who has opted to continue competing, winning silver all-around at the 2005 European Championships. She also competed in the 2005 World Championships in Melbourne, Australia, but failed to medal in any event.

Sources

• http://www.olympic-eurogym.demon.nl/russia/pav/pav_rep.htm
• International Gymnast magazine