The star of team Belarus in recent years, Melitina Staniouta has decided to retire from competition. Melitina was born on November 15, 1993. She is the great granddaughter of the famous actress Stefaniya Staniouta was was rumored to have been able to do a split when she was well into her 70s. Melitina was discovered for gymnastics at a very early age when a coach saw her at a bus stop and determined "gymnastics was just in her."
Melitina was known for her leaps and an extremely difficult pivot: a cossack turn starting on the floor that develops into a full penchee turn. At her debut in the 2009 World Championships in Mie, Melitina won silver with her team and bronze with hoop. She has collected multiple silver and bronze medals from apparatus finals in world events and won the all around silver medal at the European Championship in Baku in 2014. In 2015 Melitina won the gold with ribbon at the Summer Universiade in Gwandju. She finished 5th at the Rio Olympics in 2016.
Melitina will also be remembered for very risky catches with hoop, wonderful work with rope, and, very recently, an elegant gala routine with an open-back purple leotard and two ribbons. Melitina has appeared in various fashion shoots and commercials including the commercial for the bottled water Bon Aqua which featured various gymnasts from Belarus.
